Orion's Shadow
by Enchantable
Summary: Saved by Eywa, Tsu'Tey must teach Jake how to be Olo'eyktan to the People who have yet to fully trust him. With Neytiri's mating, he has lost the life he thought he would have and must find a new place in the hierarchy of the Clan.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay so I saw Avatar and while I didn't totally love Jake and Neytiri, I did really like Tsu'Tey. And I also totally was intrigued by Neytiri's mention of an awesome female hunter named Piral. So here's a new fic! Its kind AU but hey, when you've got Eywa and an imagination, anything's possible. Also all Na'vi words come from an online dictionary that seems pretty accurate. **

**So Piral is NOT an Original character, though I've taken serious liberties with her since she's just a mention. Oh and this takes place after the movie (obviously) so all the characters are going to be there but Piral and Tsu'Tey are the main two. **

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Ash lingered in the air.

The smell clung to the forrest like a child refusing to let go of its mother. Glory still burned in the hearts of those who had fought, of those who had _survived_. Their cries of pride to Eywa still filled the air. The blood that had been spilt, blood that still stained the grass under their feet, it had all been for something. In the end the People had won and the Sky People were forced out. Eywa was safe, even at such a terrible cost. And in saving Eywa, they had saved all those who had died in the fight. As long as Eywa was safe, so were they. They were a part of her now, as everyone in the People would be one day.

Trying to take comfort in the thought, Piral pushed further into the forrest.

The last of the white and yellow paint still clung to her skin, removed by her journey not scrubbing. She scarcely had time to rest, much less to bathe. But time was short, precious even and she saw no point in wasting it on washing away one thing she had worn with honor. The beaded bracelet her mother had given her the eve of her first hunt, the bow she had carved with such pride--all of it was had barely survived, with her wounds now even Piral did not know when she would fly again. Still she was grateful to Eywa that Tanhi had survived, countless other _Ikran_ had been taken back to Eywa. Whispering a prayer of thanks, Piral continued through the underbrush, careful to keep her steps light. There was no telling what awaited her further in, she had to be careful to remain as quiet as she could.

Piral had always preferred to hunt alone. Hunting with others, especially through the forrest, meant that there was a chance the prey would become aware of them before they were ready to be seen. Hunting with others meant that she had to depend on them. Piral had never been terribly good at depending on the other Hunters in the Clan--in spite of what she had been taught as a child. She hunted with others because it was expected of her but she relished the times when she was allowed to hunt alone. But there was nothing to be relished now, not while Eywa still collected the souls of the dying. Not while the smell of ash and blood still stung her nose.

The terrain under her feet changed.

Piral bent down, looking at the odd ridges in the landscape. Reaching out she pressed her hand into the soil, allowing her eyes to close. The ground she stood on had once been smooth, full of life. Eywa had been strong here, once. But now the soil under her fingers was filled with nothing but pain. All the life that had grown here, it had been destroyed by the Sky People and their machines. Eywa still was strong in this place but it was because of that strength the pain was so much greater. Piral felt her fingers curl in the dirt as anger surged through her. There was so much pain here, so much sadness--so much _death_. Everything in her, it shouted for her to return. There were better hunting grounds further back. It was doubtful that anything survived to hunt here. She could return, go back, find her prey closer to the Tree her people called home. There was space between this place of death and the Tree, space enough to hunt.

Releasing the dirt she held, Piral withdrew her hand. Her fingers left behind a mark in the soil. There were other marks, marks by feet and by things she did not recognize, things that had to be from the Sky People. Her finger mark made no difference. Yet Piral still reached out and covered it, moving the dirt until it was gone. She would not mark this place as carelessly as the Sky People had. Drawing herself up, Piral glanced behind her at the way she had come before turning and moving further along the ruined landscape. No-one had ventured into this place since the battle with the Sky People. Nothing but death would greet her but death was something Piral had become accustom to existing with. The dead were not to be mourned, they were with Eywa now. What was left behind was nothing but a shell. What truly mattered, that was with Eywa.

The smell made her ears flatten in anger and disgust but Piral ignored the impulse to depart. She would not run from what frightened her. Running from fear did nothing. Facing fear, that was what conquered it. Facing what she was afraid of was what had made Piral the best huntress in the Clan. It was what had made her fight the boys who had tugged her braids and stolen her _su'shiri t'acto sa_ when her father had told her he would not tell them to give it back. It was what had made her bond with Tanhi even after the _Ikran_ had given her the four long teeth marks she still bore on her right shoulder after the lasso had given way. Now it was what drove her forward. There were still too many unaccounted for, too many who could not send their loved ones off to Eywa. Eywa accepted all but there were ceremonies, things to ease the passage, things they had been taught were owed to the dead.

Piral glanced up at the canopy of trees. So many had been burned by the fire of the Sky People but her eyes found the arrow marks of her own people. Their war had hurt Eywa and that was the greatest tragedy of all. The People had been as focused on death as the Sky People. She knew that even her arrows had hurt Eywa. Hunting was much easier. War with the Sky People was difficult. There was too much going on, it was too confusing. People had gotten hurt, Sky People had gotten hurt--there was too much hurt, too much pain. And Eywa had fought alongside them. At the time, like the other People, Piral's heart had been filled with joy. But now looking up she wondered if Eywa had been right to fight. Her teaching told her to trust Eywa. Her heart told her that even the greatest of warriors needed time to recover.

The greatest of warriors.

Piral's footsteps faltered. Tsu'Tey's body _still_ had not been recovered. Jakesully had ordered search parties out and Neytiri had led more than Piral could count but none had been able to find their former _Olo'eytkan_. Eytukan's body had been found and he had received the burial of an _Olo'eytkan_ but Tsu'Tey had not. No matter how short his time as their leader had been, he had been their leader none the less. Long before that he had been their greatest hunter, the one they had all trusted and respected. She had rejoiced with them all when he had been named Neytiri's mate and their future _Olo'eytkan_. Tsu'Tey was worthy of the title, more so than anyone else in the Clan. Even in the sadness of Eytukan's death, Tsu'Tey had led them to the Tree of Souls, to the _Vitraya Ramunong_, where they would be surrounded by Eywa, to be reminded of the All-Mother's presence.

The hunters grouped together naturally. Training was anything but easy, especially for those who were good at it. She had known Tsu'Tey since they were children and he had jumped into the fight on her side when she had bloodied a boy's nose for pulling her tail. From the first cuts on their fingers from holding bowstrings improperly to the final climb to the _Ikran's_ nest, Tsu'Tey had always been a part of her life. Their bond as fellow warriors, as hunters, had been strong--as those bonds tended to be. But he had been the first to fight alongside her and she him and their bond was, perhaps, a bit stronger than the others. Or it had been. Until he had been chosen to mate with Neytiri, until his training with Eytukan had taken more and more of his time. Until the Sky People filled his heart with anger. Now he was with Eywa.

His death was the hardest to accept.

They had trusted Tsu'Tey. The People had learned to believe in him and he in them. Now they were to follow the Dreamwalker Jakesully. Piral had lent her strength to his transfer, as had all the People and he had fought with them as only _Toruk Makto_ could. But even so, he was what had brought the Sky People to the Home Tree. He was the one who had live among them lying for so many nights. Piral had heard him claim love had changed him but she could not see how anything like that could make a person so different. A few months and they were supposed to follow him like the Clan followed an _Olo'eytkan_. It took years to be ready to be _Olo'eytkan_, not months. Not even for _Toruk Makto_. Every order he gave made Piral's ears flatten and her muscles clench like she'd eaten something she should not have. She followed--they _all_ followed but every word he spoke made her wish to Eywa that it was Tsu'Tey who was speaking to them.

Piral tried to force the anger that filled her aside. Anger made you clumsy, like a Sky Person and she could not be clumsy, not when she was in the place of death. She was the first to dare to enter this place and she would not subject the Clan to more loss, even if death meant she would go to Eywa to be with the others who had been killed. Piral was not one to hide, not one to run, even from something as sad as being without those she had cared for. But the loss could have been worse. If she had mated--Piral cut herself off, shaking her head as if she could clear the thoughts. It was a good thing that she had not been mated. The cries of those who had lost their other half, they had been worse even than those who had lost their _Ikran_.

A shadow moved to her right. Instantly Piral moved her bow off her back and into her hand, her fingers twisting instantly up and back, drawing the string taut as she stepped back carefully into the shadow of the charred canopy. The shadow to her right continued to move in a circle. Large, but too small to be a _Toruk_, Prial did not need to look up to know it was an _Ikran_. That was nothing comforting. She had brought a wild _Ikran_ down before but she had always been on Tanhi's back. Could she do it on foot? Keeping her bow taut, Piral watched the creature circle. It would be hard but yes, she could. When it landed she knew the best shot would be to the roof of its mouth. If she shot it now and missed, it would kill her before she had a chance to attack it once more. The _Ikran_ let out a loud screech, tucking its wings and dropping to the ground. Piral adjusted her stance and positioned herself so the moment it landed and gave her an opening, she would take it.

The _Ikran_ landed and turned towards her immediately, letting out another sound.

"Iheyu," Piral gasped, lowering her bow instantly.

Iheyu shrieked again, his keen eyes locking with hers. The _Ikran_ looked terrible, his saddle little more than tatters. The spiral pattern he had been known for was smudged and dirty, the tie little more than a strip of leather dangling limply across his neck. Piral shouldered her bow, moving forward. Iheyu whined, the sound almost mournful as he looked at her and Piral felt her heart tighten at the look in the _Ikran's_ eyes. So many of the People were without their _Ikran_, Iheyu was without his _Taronyu_. Even without the connection the _Ikran_ did not attack her. Piral continued forward until she stood in front of him. Reaching out she gently grasped the crest. Iheyu made another sound, softer now as he bent his head. _Taronyu's_ took care of their own _Ikran_ but they all had spoiled each others. Iheyu had been no different. Spoiled by all of them.

But his _Taronyu_ had been Tsu'Tey.

"Where have you been?" Piral asked, stroking the _Ikran_, "you had us all worried."

Iheyu vocalized again, nudging against her hand. Piral frowned as she looked at him. Usually when an _Ikran Makto _died, their _Ikran_ took off, free of their bond. But Iheyu had not gone back to the _Thundering Rocks_, he was here, by where the Home Tree and the Tree of Voices had been. Did he think that if he waited long enough Tsu'Tey would come back? As if sensing her question, Iheyu nudged her hand, more insistent this time. Piral frowned as she released her hold on the _Ikran_'s crest. Iheyu turned his head and nudged her, this time on her side. Piral stepped forward, towards the _Ikran's_ ruined saddle. Looking at him she looked back at the saddle. Tsu'Tey had made the saddle, as they all had for their _Ikran_. She knew Tanhi was going to need a new one before she flew again. Reaching out Piral grasped the saddle, her fingers finding the buckles but Iheyu nudged her again, vocalizing as he did.

"What are you doing?" Piral questioned, looking at the strangely behaving _Ikran_. She had ridden Iheyu before but only when she hunted with Tsu'Tey. Iheyu nudged her sharper, lifting with his head in a clear demand, "Iheyu!" she moved with him, landing half in the saddle. She swore as Iheyu moved to take flight, barely managing to swing one leg over the other side of the saddle before he kicked off the ground and took to the skies.

Piral held the saddle as tight as she could, whispering every prayer to Eywa she knew. She dared not make _Tsahaylu_ with Iheyu so all she could do was hold on and hope he knew what he was doing. The _Ikran_ flew purposefully deeper into the place of death, along some path known to him. Piral held tight, her eyes scanning the ground through the lattice canopy, looking for some sign of where the _Ikran_ was taking her. She had never heard of another flying on an _Ikran_ that did not have the _Tsahaylu_. But Iheyu swept along the skies, his speed very quick. He had always flown that way, with a purpose. Unlike Tanhi who seemed to only fly with a purpose if Piral bribed her first. Iheyu took her towards a dark shape on the horizon, a shape she knew to be the ruins of the Home Tree. Her stomach turned as she stared at it, her fingers gripping the saddle. She was not ready to face her ruined home, no-one was.

Before they could reach it, Iheyu banked to the right. Gently but Piral still found herself gripping the saddle harder. The _Ikran_ descended with another loud sound, landing in the soil. Piral looked around, knowing that they were at the ruins of the Tree of Voices. This was where they had learned of Eywa on their mother's knees. This was where Neytiri had chosen Jakesully as her mate, where she had defied everything to follow her heart. This was the first to be destroyed by the Sky People. Piral slid off Iheyu's back. He vocalized behind her, a sharp cry that had her ears pressing flat in an effort to block the sound out. But Iheyu continued.

"_Skxawang_," Piral hissed, "be quiet, do you want to wake the forrest?"

Iheyu did not look at her, though Piral was sure he had understood the insult. Frowning she followed his line of sight. Once more her bow was in her hands, her arrow ready as she looked at the shape in the ruins of the Tree of Voices. Iheyu shrieked again. Awkwardly the creature moved past her, crossing the distance to the shape and nudging it frantically. Piral's eyes widened as she gripped the bow tighter, her heart pounding. The bow slackened in her grip as she ran forward, her feet sliding over the broken landscape. The shape became clear, defined as she dropped to her knees beside it, training making her shoulder her bow instead of casting it aside. Her fingers fumbled at the threads cocooning the body, pushing when she realized she could not tear. She did not have to move much before the familiar ornaments of the _Queue_ were laid bare to her eyes.

Throat burning, Piral sat back on her heels as Iheyu screeched mournfully next to her. She felt her eyes sting, threatened with tears she had held back for so long. She looked at the familiar lines of the body, of the hard won ornaments that named him first _Ikran Makto_, then _Olo'eytkan_.There was no doubt who lay before her, held in Eywa's embrace. This was why Iheyu had brought her here, why he was screeching beside her in a desperate bid to wake the dead. Piral looked up at the _Ikran_ through tear fogged eyes. His sharp gaze was locked on his _Taronyu_. Piral looked helplessly down at the body in front of her, unable to remove more of the fibers that covered him. Closing her eyes tightly she reached out, her hand falling short of him and laying on the ground.

"Tsu'Tey."

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**Okay so I know that ikran's bond for life with one rider but this one didn't bond, he just needed to get Piral there. Also I'm referring to Jake as Jakesully because that's how the People kept talking about him and Piral's a little bitter. A few words you might not know:**

**Tanhi-Star**

**Iheyu-Spiral**

**Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay so obviously this started with Piral as Beyral, which is what both the script and wikipedia say. But I've been told by more than one person its actually Piral. So that's what's staying. Also Ninat is not an OC, she's mentioned as being a singer. Also for the purposes of this she's been trained as a warrior but has found her interests are sort of elsewhere.**

**Also I've decided not to include the cut material in the cannon for this story. I'm going off the movie since we don't know if that's being included in the DVD and won't for some time. So this is that Tsu'Tey just fell from the shuttle.**

**And the core of this conflict isn't really "who gets to be leader" its that Tsu'Tey's been trained to be the leader, he's the one they all expected to rule them. I'm not sure I really like the idea of Jake swooping in and being leader just like that--no matter how spectacular he is.**

**Now to the story!**

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Piral stared numbly down at Tsu'Tey's prone form.

Moments ago she had been wishing they had his body to give him a burial. Now looking at him she did not know if she would have the strength to bring it back. It was almost impossible to associate the slope of blue back with Tsu'Tey. He was never still. Even when hunting, he had always taken a far more offensive approach to killing his prey. But there would be no more hunting, no more war cries, nothing now but the peace that came with the soul's return Eywa. Piral felt her hands curl. There was no comfort in Tsu'Tey's strong heart returning to Eywa. Not now. Not when his People needed him. Anger filled her. How could Eywa have taken him back? How could she have done it _now_. Now when they needed him, when they needed the Omaticaya Clan to be looked at with pride, not with confusion and shame. The glory of what Jakesully had done, it would fade soon and behind would be a Dream Walker, one who the Clans would not have a problem with blaming for what they had lost. And if they blamed Jakesully, they would blame the Omaticaya.

Forcing her eyes back to Tsu'Tey and Iheyu, Piral pushed herself onto her knees. She had found him. She would see his body back to the People, so they could send him truly to the grace of the All-Mother. Reaching out she pushed the fibers down, trying as hard as she could not to touch the skin in front of her, not to look at the face still hidden. The fibers gave no struggle but they had wound tightly around him, as if Eywa had already embraced him. Her fingers pushed the fibers back from his skin, revealing more. Her fingers paused as his back was laid bare. She had witnessed most of the scars he bore but these were new. Small and white, there were so many--too many to be of arrows. Tail whipping in agitation, Piral bent down and looked at them, one finger reaching forward before she drew it back. The dead were to be touched as little as possible. Their bodies were remains, their souls were with Eywa. Shoving superstition aside, Piral pressed the pad of her finger against the white scar.

It was warm.

Piral sucked in her breath, flattening her palm against Tsu'Tey's back. The skin under her hand was warm, _alive_. Holding her breath, Piral waited long enough for his chest to expand. Gasping, her fingers grasped the fibers, pulling them back from him without any care for touching him. Grabbing his shoulders, Piral rolled him onto his back, her fingers sliding under the fibers that covered his face. With a yank, she pushed them back, revealing his features. They were as still as his body had been. Piral bent down, pressing her ear to his mouth and a hand to his chest. The shallowness of his breathing sent alarm coursing through her, as did the stutter of his heart. But the pulse, the breath, they were there. Tsu'Tey was there. Eywa had not taken him, not yet.

"_Olo'eyktan_," Piral breathed, her fingers tightening against his shoulders, desperate for some kind of reaction, "Tsu'Tey!"

The slightest furrowing of his brow was like the loudest shout to her frantic heart. He was alive. He was not lost to the People, not lost to his fellow _taronyu_. The boy who had gone before them all to bond with his _ikran_, he was still there. Their_Olo'eyktan_--her _Olo'eyktan_. Relief crashed on her like the waves on a cliff. The terrible thought of bringing his remains back to the Clan was nothing more than a passing thought. She could return now with him, with their rightful _Olo'eyktan_. With time he too would be healed, like this place of death. Now he could heal. Eywa had made sure of that.

"_Irayo_," Piral whispered, looking up at the trees before she looked down at Tsu'Tey's form.

Iheyu whined again, his head bowing as he nudged Tsu'Tey with his nose before looking at her, confusion in his intelligent eyes. Piral reached out, grasping Iheyu's chin crest. The _ikran_ had probably found Tsu'Tey and brought him to this place. He had known Eywa would know what to do. And he had brought her there, to help Tsu'Tey make the journey he could not alone. Piral turned to look at his features, her eyes moving across his chest. The marks from the Sky People's weapons were there as well, small and white and bright against the blue of his chest. Piral lowered her hand from his shoulder to touch them. He was bare from the waist up, the warrior's belt around his chest lost to the battle. Piral did not care. Even without the marks of glory he was the greatest warrior. He was her fellow _taronyu, _her _Olo'eyktan_.

"You did well," she said looking up at Iheyu, "we must bring him to the Clan now."

The _ikran_ vocalized, though the sound was far less urgent than his earlier ones. Piral stood up, looking down at Tsu'Tey. He was much taller than she. She knew that Iheyu could carry them both with little problem but the saddle was not going to make it back to the Tree. Coming around the side of the _ikran_, Piral undid the straps of the saddle and hefted it off. Iheyu shook himself as she pulled the heavy object off his back, placing it aside. Riding bareback was not difficult. Perhaps not the most comfortable thing but between making sure Tsu'Tey stayed on and riding an _ikran_ without a bond, Piral knew that comfort was going to be the least important thing for her journey. Iheyu shifted as she walked back over to Tsu'Tey. Bending down, Piral moved the last of the fibers away from his ankles and feet, freeing him from the cocoon that had enveloped him.

She hesitated then, her eyes moving up his chest. His features were angular, even for the People. His sharp cheekbones were only accented by the _queue_ fashioned in the style most warriors chose to wear it. Her own braids hung heavy around her face but his were woven in, save for the two that hung near his face. Even without his ornaments he still was unmistakable as a _taronyu_, as the best of them. Would he be strong enough now to make a _tsahaylu_? She looked over at Iheyu who shifted impatiently. The _ikran_ would fly without it but she knew if he were able to be conscious Tsu'Tey would try to make it. He would try, as soon as he was able. Her eyes moved back to his body.

"_Skxawang_," she swore at herself. Staring at Tsu'Tey, wondering about _tsahaylu_, she was acting no better than a Sky Person.

Straitening up she walked back to his front, hooking her hands underneath his arms. He was heavy but she pulled his weight up, turning her body to take his bulk onto her frame. He did not move as she hauled him up, though she tried to be as gentle as possible. She walked over to where Iheyu stood turning and allowing his weight to slide onto the _ikran_'s back. Keeping a hand on his back, Piral climbed up behind him, settling herself as best she could before looking at Ihey. The _ikran_turned his head towards her before he angled himself and pushed off the ground, taking to the skies. Piral kept her hand on his back and another on Ihey's but the flight was gentle. Iheyu sensed that though there was still an urgency to getting Tsu'Tey back to the People, he was on his way now. And dropping the two unsaddled riders was not something that would be good for any of them.

Flying without the _tsahaylu_ was not fun. Though Piral trusted Iheyu, she wished that the _ikran_ she rode was Tanhi. Though sometimes lazy, Tanhi had always enjoyed flying and that joy had come across their _tsahaylu_. But the male who lay in front of her made her heart feel light. She did not question why Eywa had saved her. The more savage part of her though that if Eywa listened to Jakesully, if the All-mother saw fit to save _him_, then why not Tsu'Tey? Jakesully had brought this destruction on them, indirectly but he had none the less. Tsu'Tey had done nothing but lead the Clan. He had made sure they were safe, even in their darkest hour. Eywa should save him. Piral looked down at the limp form in front of her, still unsettled by how still he was. As if sensing the urgency, Iheyu sped up his flight. He had not been seen since the battle but the _ikran_ knew his way to the Tree of Souls.

As it came into view, Piral felt her heart leap. A few of the other hunters were just coming back. Her journey had taken her farther than she had thought but it was not too late for them to worry. In the cradle of the All-mother the People were rebuilding. In spite of everything that had been lost, they were starting to create. Those who could not gather or hunt were weaving baskets for those who could. And those who could made sure they brought back enough to share with everyone. Even the children who had grown up so much were good at searching out food close to the shelter of the All-mother. Piral felt a smile tug at her lips as her fingers pressed against Tsu'Tey's back. Iheyu let out a loud sound as he banked on an air current, careful to be gentle enough not to drop his passengers.

"Piral!"

At the musical cry of her name Piral turned around. Ninat flew towards her, low on her own _ikran_. Ninat's own skin was free of the warrior paint, her beaded braids caught back by the flight gear she wore. Her _ikran_ cried out to Iheyu, a sound the_ikran_ was more than happy to echo. Carefully she pulled level with Iheyu, her eyes wide as she looked over the familiar lines of Tsu'Tey's _ikran_. Her eyes locked on the form of their leader and her features paled with surprise. She almost lost her footing on the saddle as she stared at him before her eyes tore to lock with Piral's.

"You found him?" she called over the wind.

"He's alive!" Piral cried back to her, joy making her words loud.

Ninat banked hard, her _ikran_ tucking his wings to bring them close to the forrest. Iheyu followed at a much slower pace. Piral watched as Ninat jumped off the back of the creature, barely remembering to release _tsahaylu _as she ran to the seat of the tree. Piral turned her gaze back to Tsu'Tey, gripping Iheyu tighter with her legs as she braced Tsu'Tey's body with her hands. The _ikran'_s landing was gentle as he settled closer to the Tree than most dared fly. Piral thought Eywa would not mind. Curious People came forward, their eyes going from her to Tsu'Tey. He was so still that they clearly assumed he was dead. Before she could voice her good news, the cries of mourning started. Piral flattened her ears. It was bad luck to mourn for the living. Eywa might hear their cries and take him. She opened her mouth but before the words could leave her lips Mo'at was there, Ninat on her heels.

"Be quiet, all of you," she said and though her voice was not raised, the People fell silent.

The loss of her mate had been hard on Mo'at, as it would be on any of them. Now her strength was for the People as she ushered her daughter through the last of the training that would bring her to be the new _Tsahik_ of the People. Still her hands were quick as she turned Tsu'Tey over so he lay on his back on Iheyu. Piral kept him steady as Mo'at studied his features intently, her gold eyes focused on his face. Reaching out she ran a hand across his chest, the bioluminescence remaining dark on the first pass. Piral looked at his still features. She could feel the flutter of life under her hands but if he could not even respond to the _Tsahik_--she tried to ignore the doubt that moved through her. Eywa had saved him, Eywa would know what they were to do now.

"He is alive," Mo'at said finally, "Eywa has brought him to us," she looked up at Piral, "but he is very weak. We must bring him to the All-Mother."

Two other men came forward, pulling him onto his shoulders. The people quickly cleared a path as Piral slid off Iheyu's back. The other _ikran_ called to him. His head turned towards them before going back to Tsu'Tey, torn between joining the others and remaining beside his _taronyu_. Piral stroked his head, bringing the _ikran's_ attention to her.

"Go to them," she said softly, "I will watch him now."

Iheyu vocalized softly and then turned towards the other, letting out a much louder cry as he pushed off the ground and flew upwards, to where the other _ikran_ waited. Ninat's own _ikran_ joined him as the two returned home. Piral watched them go. She knew Tanhi and the others had missed Iheyu the same way that they had missed Tsu'Tey. Now they were both back. Turning towards the Tree, Piral quickly pushed through the closing crowd towards where they had taken Tsu'Tey. He was in the cradle of the Tree, the All-mother's embrace, where Jakesully had become one of the People forever. The two other men placed him there, on his back as Mo'at leaned over him. Piral ventured closer, her eyes watching them anxiously as she felt her tail twitch back and forth in agitation.

"Piral!"

Piral turned as Ninat barreled towards her, throwing her arms around her in a tight embrace. Perhaps she had been wrong in thinking no-one would worry. Then again, worry was understandable for Ninat. Piral returned the embrace gently, turning herself and her friend so she could watch Mo'at and Tsu'Tey over her shoulder. Ninat quickly withdrew, her fingers gripping Piral's shoulders.

"Where did you go! How did you find him?!" she cried.

"Ninat," Piral hissed, her ears flattening, "I will answer your questions _after_ we find out what is happening."

"He's just laying there," Ninat said looking at him, "and Tsu'Tey wouldn't want all these people staring at him when he's asleep."

Piral felt heat on her cheeks as she looked over at the people gathered. There were so many, all anxiously watching. He was the first to be found alive, alive and not screaming in agony only to leave for Eywa's embrace shortly afterwards. But Ninat had a point--as Ninat tended to do. Tsu'Tey would be angry if he woke to find them all watching him like they were. Tsu'Tey was a great warrior but he did get injured and when he did he would find the quietest part of the Hometree, or he would leave it completely, and try to bandage his wounds himself, even if it was impossible. Piral remembered a particularly bad back injury he had sustained, one that would be impossible to tend to alone, but Tsu'Tey had tried before Mo'at had found him and scolded him for being so brash. If there was one thing Tsu'Tey hate to do it was to appear weak, especially to the People.

"Where is Jakesully?" she asked.

"He's out hunting," Ninat replied, "so is Neytiri. They left with the second group."

"And the other Sky People?" Piral asked.

"Back in their place," Ninat said, "the hairy one says that No-orm can Dream Walk soon," she added, her ears twitching, "but "I think No-orm is scared to try."

"He should be," Piral said cooly, walking past the crowd of people. Ninat fell into step alongside her.

Ninat pouted as she looked at her friend. Piral did not like the Sky People, like most of the _taronyu. _Ninat did not know what it was about being _taronyu_ that made them so angry. Jakesully had been angry too when they had first met him. It was only when the _taronyu _were not being _taronyu_ that they were happy. But Piral now was not happy. Ninat could see it in the way her ears flattened and her tail whipped back and forth, her skin flashing in a familiar show of irritation. Piral led them both up on an outlaying ridge, one where they could see everything without actually being caught spying--so long as they lay on their stomachs and kept their tails low. It was where they had snuck out to watch rituals as children. Piral slid her bow off her back and laid down as Ninat dropped to the ground.

"Where did you find him?" Ninat tried again.

"Iheyu brought me to him," Piral answered, her tone still short.

Ninat forgave her. She knew Piral was worried about Tsu'Tey. Piral had _always_ worried about Tsu'Tey. They had all become_taronyu_ together but as Tsu'Tey had gone first to bond with his _ikran_, Piral had been right behind him. It had always been like that. Tsu'Tey and Piral. They had driven each other to be better. Piral had been the only one Tsu'Tey would let tend to his injuries and Ninat knew Iheyu wouldn't have been as easy to ride if it had been her and not Piral on his back without_tsahaylu. _She had been so sure that it was only a matter of time before Tsu'Tey and Piral became mates.

But then Tsu'Tey had been chosen to be Neytiri's mate.

Ninat liked Neytiri, most People did. But she could see she did not want to make _tsahaylu _with Tsu'Tey. Tsu'Tye who was brave and proud and their greatest _taronyu_--but she did not love him. Ninat didn't mind, she knew that she didn't like any of the _taronyu_ who tried to win her affections enough to make _tsahaylu _with them--even though they were very nice as well. You couldn't help who you loved any more than you could change the will of Eywa. But Tsu'Tey had withdrawn from them. He stopped letting Piral tend to his injuries as his training to be the new _Olo'eyktan_ took him away from them. Ninat knew it was a position of honor, that he would be a very good _Olo'eyktan_, but a part of her couldn't help but think it would be better if he and Piral had made _tsahaylu_ and he had stayed with them. Every time those thoughts came up she apologized to Eywa for her selfishness. Tsu'Tey was needed by all the People. But even with her apologies, even with the fact she tried not to think like that, the thoughts kept coming back.

The People all saw what Tsu'Tey wanted them to see. They saw the strong warrior, the one who would lead them as only an_Olo'eyktan_ could. Ninat saw it too. But she also saw the _taronyu _who spoiled his _ikran_ and refused the the _octoshroom_ tea because he did not like it. Ninat felt like they saw something the others did not. They saw Tsu'Tey the _Olo'eyktan_, they saw Tsu'Tey as he had been before that. Back when he had not been chosen to mate with Neytiri. Piral had never complained. When Tsu'Tey had withdrawn, when he had stopped letting her help him with his few injuries--she hadn't said one word. She had followed his lead, followed it as easily as if he had given the order. But Piral hadn't been very good at hiding her emotions. There were plenty of other _taronyu_ who liked her, for she was very beautiful and very skilled, but they hadn't dared to try and make _tsahaylu _with her.

"Tanhi's going to be so upset you went flying without her," Ninat said finally. After a moment Piral turned towards her, eyes wide as Ninat grinned, "_Skxawang, _you should pay attention to those you are with instead of spying on Tsu'Tey."

"I'll show you _skxawang_," Piral said turning towards her, her tail arching, "and you are spying with me."

"But I'm not staring at Tsu'Tey," Ninat said, her own ears perking at the challenge.

"I am not staring at Tsu'Tey!"

"Tsu'Tey!"

They both turned back at the sharp cry of his name. A handful of _ikran_ had landed without their realizing it and the hunters were running through the crowd. Neytiri had yet to make _tsahaylu_ with another _ikran_ but she had probably been riding on Jakesully's_. _Now she pushed through the crowd towards her mother, Jakesully's familiar form on her heels. Piral leaned forward as Ninat did the same, watching her race up to her mother and crouch beside her. Jakesully followed just as quickly, approaching the Tree as well. Their bantering forgotten, the two _taronyu_ watched anxiously Jakesully stood next to his mate and her mother. From the angle of his head though he was clearly focused on Tsu'Tey's body.

But in spite of the shouts of his name, Tsu'Tey remained unmoving.

Darkness fell before the People began to drift away. There were still things to be done before nightfall, including checking on the Sky People before darkness settled on the land. Only Mo'at, Jakesully and Neytiri remained with Tsu'Tey, though what they were doing Piral was not sure. It took everything she had to move from her position on the ridge but she too had duties to attend to. Ninat left with a playful thwap of her tail against Piral's as Piral shouldered her bow and headed for the _ikran_nest. Tanhi was going to need her bandages changed for nightfall. The ikran had taken to an outlying crop of rocks that gave them shelter and a place to nest, along with access to a flight path. There were no trees big enough to let them rest properly but, just as the People were adapting, so were the _ikran_.

Many had died, returned to Eywa. Seze, Loreyu--countless others. But the _ikran_ were clearly excited to see Iheyu back, the healthy ones crowding around him. Piral smiled at the familiar display of happiness as Iheyu puffed out his chest. Piral shook her head. Unlike his _taronyu_, Iheyu had always enjoyed the attention. Piral moved further into the makeshift nest, to where the _ikran_ who who were injured but had survived were. All the eyes turned towards her, though only a few were capable of movement. Bending down, Piral pulled the basket of supplies towards her and moved into the nest. The other _taronyu_ would be there to tend to their _ikran_ very shortly, each deciding to look after his own battle partner. She came to a stop in front of her own.

Tanhi offered a greeting as she turned to Piral. Reaching out, Piral carefully scratched her _ikran_. Tanhi was a pale green color, scattered with blue and violet patches that looked almost like stars. On her nose and surrounding one eye were two stark white patches that gave her a distinct look. She nuzzled Piral's free hand, her nose batting against her palm. Piral smiled and used her other hand to continue to pet her _ikran's_ favorite spots. Reaching behind her she picked up her !_queue_ and attached it to her _ikran_, making their bond.

"You're not angry with me are you?" she asked. Tanhi vocalized softy but made no move to show anger, "I'll be quick tonight, I promise."

She always was quick, but the process was painful. Piral felt the pain as she cleaned Tanhi's injuries, checking for infection before bandaging them again. She did not mind the pain, if it took some of Tanhi's. By the time she was done the others had arrived, taking their own supplies and tending to their _ikran_. When she was finished, Piral rewarded Tanhi with a treat before undoing their bond. With a murmured farewell to the other _taronyu_ and stepping out of the _ikran_ nest, making her way back to the Tree. Mo'at was still with him, even as the others broke off to dinner.

"_Oel ngati kameie_, _Tsahik_," she greeted, bowing her head respectfully.

"_Oel ngati kameie_," Mo'at replied.

"Is he--" she looked down at him.

"He sleeps," Mo'at said, "Eywa watches him now."

Piral looked doubtfully at Tsu'Tey. He certainly did not look like he was just sleeping. He was laying on his back, his _queue_next to him. His features remained still, no flickers of light on his chest. She resisted the urge to press her hand to his chest to see if he was breathing. Mo'at continued to stand there as Piral fell silent. She knew she should be with the People, that she should leave Tsu'Tey in the care of the _Tshaik_. But her legs refused to move as she stood there looking down at him, not sure why she felt so crippled by the sight. She knew she should be surprised, but a part of her was angry that she felt that way. She was a _taronyu_. She should not be crippled by the loss of a single one, by a single being's return to Eywa--especially singe he was not with her, just being watched over by her. Like they all were.

She wanted to ask the _Tsahik_ when he would wake but the words stuck like sap in her throat. One did not ask the _Tsahik _things, they listened to her and what Eywa said when they spoke through her. She could not ask her when Tsu'Tey would wake, not like some child asking her mother when she would become _taronyu_, Tsu'Tey would wake when he woke. He was being watched by Eywa. She had to focus on that--on that and only that. Piral turned to face the rest of the people, her fingers touching the edge of her bow.

"Piral," Piral turned to see another standing nearby, "its time for watch."

"Piral will guard here tonight," the _Tsahik_ spoke.

"Yes, _Tahik_," he said, fading back into the shadows.

Piral glanced behind her but the _Tshaik's_ gaze was on Tsu'Tey. Piral followed her with her eyes as she bent down, running a hand over Tsu'Tey's chest. Piral forced her eyes to remain on the darkness that still covered his chest, ignoring the fleeting hope that passed quickly through her as he did not respond. Swallowing back the bitter disappointment, Piral placed a hand on her bow and continued to look ahead.

All night she stood guard.

All night Tsu'Tey remained still.

**

* * *

**

**We'll find out more about Eywa saving Tsu'Tey soon.**

**Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

Dawn's rosy glow stirred Piral out of the light slumber she had been lost in.

She had done her watch and more, only the knowledge she was getting too tired to hold her bow properly let her leave her position to be relieved by another. She could not have slept more than a few hours but it seemed like an eternity. Eyes snapping open, Piral pushed herself up onto her feet, her eyes instantly going to the roots of the Tree. It was deserted save for Tsu'Tey's form, still on its back. Her eyes cast about for the _Tsahik_ or Neytiri or anyone but she found none of them. Quickly she walked forward, lightly stepping over those who slept in front of the Tree of Souls. With equally silent grace she climbed up onto the base of the tree, nimbly jumping one of the massive roots and landing in front of Tsu'Tey. She knew she should not be there, not in the space occupied by the _Tsahik_, but her curiosity got the best of her. Crouching down she peered at him, her tail whipping in agitation.

He looked much better.

Some of the color had returned to his frame, as though being in the presence of the All-mother had healed him further. His wounds were healed, too healed to have been dealt as soon as they had been. His queue was dark against the ground, the few braids and beads that remained entwined colorful in the darkness. He had never been vain with his appearance or taken much care with the ornaments he wore. But somehow that disdain seemed to only make him more--Piral shook her head. Now was not the time to be thinking about what Tsu'Tey's disdain made him to the women of the tribe. She knew as well as anyone what the Hunter had been to the females of the tribe.

With an absent flick of her tail she peered across his body, trying to see if he needed anything. The All-mother watched him now but would he be cold? Or hungry? Piral felt her brow furrow. She had no idea. She had heard stories of those Eywa decided to save, to return to the People rather than accept into her embrace. But she had never seen one up close. What did it feel like, she wondered, to die and then be reborn? Jakesully had passed through the eye of Eywa, but he had not died, not as Tsu'Tey had. Grace had been hurt, she had died, but she had not passed through Eywa. Tsu'Tey was a unique case, one Piral was not sure she could ever understand. Ears twitching, she glanced over her shoulder. The _ikran_ were silent, sleeping like the clan. Only the few who stood watch were awake, their eyes focused elsewhere.

All the _Taronyu_ understood that Tsu'Tey would not want them to see him like this. He had always disliked weakness and worked hard to help them eliminate it in themselves. But in himself, weakness had been something unacceptable. Every wound he received, no matter the circumstance, was like a personal failure. For every shot that went wide, he would shoot ten more arrows strait. Piral had watched him act this way, so determined, so angry, and it had hurt. She remembered him as he once had been, a very long time ago. Before he had been named the next _Olo'eyktan_, before Ateyo had died, before the Sky People had come. When he had been so bright and so determined but also happy, happy in the way that only a child could be. She had not expected him to remain so, but now he carried so much with him, so much anger and sadness and responsibility it was a wonder Iheyu could fly with him.

But what would become of him now? He was supposed to be their _Olo'eyktan_, the one who would lead them--the one who had led them. The position had been his because he was destined to mate with Neytiri. Now she had chosen another and, by the laws of the People, Jakesully was to be their _Olo'eyktan_. Tsu'Tey had spent years training, years learning everything that an _Olo'eyktan_ needed to know, years gaining the respect and trust of the Clan, of his fellow _taronyu_. And now they were just expected to follow Jakesully? He had been brought by Neytiri, chosen by her but all Piral could think was that this was the man who had helped destroy the _kelutrel_, who had fractured the People. Even if he was _toruk makto_, even if he had done great good, the bad was still there.

The hitch in his breathing reached Piral's ears.

Her attention instantly focused on Tsu'Tey, she laid her hand against his chest. It rose and fell far more deeply than it had when she first found him but the steady rhythm was interrupted as his breath caught. Her eyes widened as the skin around her palm began to light. Slowly, flickering but his skin was not dark anymore. Her head flew up as she looked at his face. The smooth, angular lines of his face were drawn, as if he was caught in some kind of struggle. Piral moved forward, her hand leaving his chest as she moved closer to his face. Out of the corner of her eye she saw his hands move, long fingers curling against the ground he lay on. She glanced back to see his toes move as well, as if he were waking from a deep sleep rather than from dying. Piral did not dare look up, dared not look away as Tsu'Tey struggled back to consciousness.

His features smoothed out and for a moment he was still. Piral held her breath, her fingers digging into the sacred earth beneath her.

"_Rutxe,_" she whispered, praying to Eywa "_rutxe,_" she implored, looking up, "do not take him, not yet."

A gasp was her reply.

Piral turned back to Tsu'Tey. As if the All-mother had heard her prayer, he was awake. His fingers dug into the dirt as his entire body went taut, like he had been pulled on some invisible rack. His eyes were tightly shut, his lips parted and Piral was certain if he could he would have screamed. Her own fingers dug into the dirt at her feet. Should she hold him down? Or were these convulsions a part of his return to the People? Before she could decide or even move he collapsed limply onto the ground, laying still. And then his eyes opened. They snapped open, pupils contracting in the bright light. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he lay there, struggling with something Piral could neither see nor understand. His eyes moved quickly around, taking in the sight of the _Vitraya Ramunong_ before they landed on her.

"_Oei ngati kameie, Olo'eyktan_," she whispered, her gaze meeting his.

"_Oei ngati kameie_?" he replied, his tone soft and questioning, "how?" he went to push himself up but Piral placed her hand on his chest, stopping him, "how do you see me?" he demanded, his tone sharper.

"I see you because--because you have been saved," she said, "do you not remember?"

"I know I am dead," he began.

"_Kehe_!" she cried, "you are not dead, _Olo'eyktan_, you are with your people--"

"I am not your _Olo'eyktan_," he cut her off.

Piral opened her mouth before she quickly closed it. She wasa _taronyu_, she knew the look in his eye. Anger, confusion--all overshadowed by the weariness that came with the healing of his injuries. He did not understand what was happening anymore than they did. But he was not overjoyed, not like the rest of the Clan had been at his return. Piral did not understand why. He was back, Eywa had chosen to save him, to bring him to the People once more. Why would he be upset about being brought back? Her brow furrowing, Piral looked down at the roots just over his head, fighting the stinging in her eyes. Crying in front of him, _Olo'eyktan_ or not. She stayed crouched near him, her hands ready to push him back should he try to sit up once more as she moved her eyes over to the People.

"I must get the _Tsahik_," she began, trying to keep her voice steady, "you must not move--"

"Wise words," Piral's head flew up at the sight of the _Tsahik_, "you have woken," she continued, walking over to where Tsu'Tey lay.

Piral drew back, her eyes moving between the two of them. _Tsahik_ and _Olo'eyktan_. In another time they would have conferred at the base of the Home Tree, away from the others. Eytukan had come back injured, so had Tsu'Tey and Neytiri--and every time they had gone off to be tended to by the _Tsahik_. Now there was nowhere to go. Even so, Piral could not help but feel like she was intruding. Like she should not be there. She was just a _taronyu_, what business did she have with the two who led the Clan? Silently she eased herself backwards. If Mo'at required assistance, she would ask for it. There were stronger men in the Clan, men who could carry him. But she knew Tsu'Tey would never ask for such help. If the _Tsahik_ saw fit to move him, he would walk where she directed--no matter if Eywa herself willed him to stay still. Another careful move and she was back. The _Tsahik_ continued to speak, kneeling down as Piral slipped back.

Not once did Tsu'Tey acknowledge her departure.

Piral stepped down and made her way through the sleeping People. Soon Neytiri and Jakesully would wake up. They would be able to help him. Lightly Piral stepped past the guards. She knew they looked at her but they knew better than to stop her from walking away. Kneeling in the cradle of the Tree, with the _Tsahik_ and the _Olo'eyktan_--what was she doing? Piral had no place with them, with the leaders of the Clan. She was a _taronyu_, not one of them. Piral shook her head, wondering what her mother would say if she could see the way she was acting. She should simply have brought him back and left it at that. Instead she had abandoned her watch and very nearly ignored Tanhi's needs. All because of the joy she felt at something that might not really be joyous after all. Piral felt her ears lower in sad confusion. Why was he not happy to be back? They were all happy, shouldn't he be as well?

Telling herself it did not matter, Piral paused to look for a trail to follow. She had no business trying to understand the matters of the Clan leaders. She listen to them, she followed them, she did not try to understand what went into leading the Clan. It was not her place to understand them, only to make sure what they said was enforced. No matter if she wanted to stay there to make sure Tsu'Tey was alright, it was not her place to do so. Even if he was not happy to be back with the People, even if he felt he was not the _Olo'eyktan_, he was with them and he was their leader and she had no place being there with him and the _Tsahik_. Not when there was so much to be done. Adjusting the bow on her back, Piral moved deeper into the canopy of trees. Here the forest was plentiful, full of life. There was still the marks of war, still the scars of arrows and gunshots, but it was alive. Still filled with Eywa's grace. The animal trails were plentiful here. She knew she would not have long to go to find prey, even on foot.

Focusing on the hunt was not hard, nor had it ever been. Hunting was one thing that Piral did very well. There were days when Piral felt as though hunting was the only thing she did well. She could do this. She could focus on hunting, let the world slip away like water through her fingers. Nothing mattered as she found the trail, her fingers moving across the trunk of the tree as she picked it up and moved further along the path.

* * *

Tsu'Tey was silent as Mo'at's nimble fingers wound bandages around his wounds.

While he was still struggling to remain conscious, two _taronyu_ had moved him to a sheltered place on the outside of the Clan's temporary home. Now as he remained conscious without effort, Mo'at continued to bandage his wounds. She had bandaged him before, when he was much younger. Now once more he was like a child, helpless to do anything on his own. The weakness he felt was disgraceful, Eywa's will or not. The agony he remembered as he fell from the Sky People's machine had been reduced to a dull, nauseating throb in the pit of his stomach, like a monster that lay in wait for the right moment to come and swallow him whole. He could even kept his head up without his head rolling and throbbing, as if his _queue_ was trying to escape. He could hardly blame it. he felt like he wanted to escape his body as well.

He had escaped it.

He had. He had gone to the Sky People's machine, knowing he was not going to come out alive. He had known and he had accepted that. Falling was the last thing he remembered, his body still searing with the too familiar pain of the Sky People's weapons. He knew the rush of air, knew the weightlessness of falling towards a ground so covered in mist is was invisible. Knew it and yet as he had fallen it had felt so strange. So surreal. Like it was someone else who was falling, not him. He had not even had to brace himself for the inevitable impact. The rush of air had drowned out everything as the mist fogged his eyes and before he had even been aware of the trees that rushed to meet him he had been gone. He hadn't had time to even consider all that he had let unfinished. He had not time to think of anything as his mind was wiped completely blank. For him the the world simply ceased to exist.

His next moment of awareness had been waking at the base of the Tree, his entire body searing as it came back to wakefulness. And Piral, sitting there, calling him a title that no longer belonged to him. He was not Neytiri's mate. He had no claim to rule the People. Jake was her mate. He was their _Olo'eyktan_ now. But she called him it none the less. Flying to certain death had made the bitterness much easier to bear. But his return to Eywa had been stopped. He was not dead and even with the throb of pain, the bitterness he felt settled like a knot in his stomach. Almost his entire life had been spent to learning to become something he could not be, not anymore, not when Neytiri had chosen another. Eytukan had become _Olo'eyktan_ through his mating with Mo'at, just as he would have become _Olo'eyktan_ through his mating with Neytiri. His assumption of the position had been because of Jake's betrayal, because he had spent his life thinking he would take the position, because he had been trained.

But now Jake was back, he was with Neytiri and he would be _Olo'eyktan_.

"It is finished," Mo'at said, her hands leaving him. His eyes moved to her, "you need to rest, to regain your strength."

"_Irayo_, _Tsahik_," he thanked her, his eyes sliding to the bandages that encircled his torso.

He could feel weakness in him, weakness where there had once been strength. Eytukan had told him once that an _Olo'eyktan_'s strength came from the Clan he led and, in return, his strength was for the People. The People now were not his to lead. Not anymore. So what was his strength to be for? He had no need of it, the People had no need of it--none of it mattered anymore. Mo'at remained beside him, watching him carefully. Finally she got to her feet, picking up the basket of supplies.

"The Clan has woken," she said, "they will be anxious for your health. If you do not wish to regain your strength for yourself, regain it for them."

She was gone by the time Tsu'Tey raised his head to look at the space she had once occupied. The world swayed like he was riding a temperamental _ikran_ but he held his head up. If he could do nothing else, he could hold his head up. It was a small victory, insignificant even, but it was something. The last thing he remembered was falling and the next was waking up. Someone had found him, that was the only explanation and the thought made his stomach turn. Whatever he had been like, he was sure he did not want the others to see him like that. He felt weak enough inside without the others seeing a physical manifestation of all that he had become.

Of all that he had lost.

The the farthest reaches of his mind, Tsu'Tey felt disgust at his train of thought. He had been saved. He knew he should be grateful, that he should be overjoyed but he could not feel the emotion. Yes, Eywa had saved him, but why had the All-mother seen fit to do so? His purpose had been served, his position passed to another. And yet he lingered painfully on. Like the ghosts the Sky People had spoken of. Not with Eywa, not with the People, but in some middle ground. His entire life had been based around the knowledge that he would one day be _Olo'eyktan_ and, when he was, he would hold that position until his death. But he was not Neytiri's mate, Jake Sully was. Without any of the knowledge of the past _Olo'eyktan's_, without any of the training Tsu'Tey still bore the scars of--just by doing the one thing Tsu'Tey had not: mating with Neytiri.

It was unfair.

It was the Law.

"Tsu'Tey?"

Tsu'Tey looked over at the call of his name.

Piral stood there.

Her braids tumbled down her back, a handful pulled away from her face and tied at the back of her skull, held by a bright pink feather from one of her first hunts. A single braid dipped across her brow to allow a pale bead to rest in the center of her forehead. White and orange beads threaded through her braids contrasted sharply with the blue of her skin. Like most of the _taronyu_, her ears were pierced through with the mineral the Sky People had been so intent on gaining. Ornaments of her status as one of the Clan's best hunters graced her throat and arms, the beads and cords oddly delicate even though most featured _paluukan_ claws surrounded by bright beads and feathers. Her tail whipped back and forth in agitation as she stood there, her fingers tight around the strap of the water gourd she held.

She had been sent there, that much was clear. Ears laid flat, tail twitching, she wanted to be anywhere else. But as a _taronyu_ she would obey the words of the _Tsahik_. Only Neytiri, as her daughter, had a right to vocalize an objection and even then she would still obey. Even wanting to be anywhere else she stepped further into the shaded, secluded area where he sat.

"_Oei ngati kameie,_" she murmured, her eyes lowered, "I thought you might be thirsty."

Dimly he remembered telling her he was not the _Olo'eyktan_. She had been there when he woken up before disappearing--not that that was new for Piral. Disappearing had always been a talent of hers. He gave no reply to her question, not trusting his voice but she moved forward anyway, her movements graceful. Crouching next to him, she kept her eyes somewhere on his chest as she offered the gourd to him. Tsu'Tey accepted it, knowing she would ignore the trembling of his hand. She took the gourd before he could drop it, her eyes finally rising to meet his.

"Who found me?" he asked finally, his voice still rough.

"Iheyu," she replied, "he stayed by your side until he was able to bring one of us to you," he kept his eyes on her, "he brought me to you," she said, "I brought you back to the Clan."

He said nothing but Piral understood. His hand had trembled violently when he raised the water to drink, the weakness he felt was probably unbearable to him. Even now she could see his usually clear eyes were fogged with pain and weariness. But he was still strong, the strongest of the _taronyu_, even if he could not see it himself. Fighting the urge to bite her lip like a child, Piral looked over her shoulder to see if perhaps the _Tsahik_ was behind her--her or anyone there to see him but there was no-one. Exhaling softly she turned back to him. His eyes were elsewhere, his mind burdened but things Piral did not know.

It had not always been like this between them.

Once they had understood each other, once the silence they had shared had been comfortable, enjoyable even. Silence that came when hunting so they didn't let the prey know they were there. Or when they were flying, the rush of air past their ears punctuated by the screech of their _ikran_, the only sounds they needed. It was what came after hunting with their stomachs full of food when they lay in the branches of the Home Tree and looked at the sky through the lattice of the trees.

But that had been a very long time ago.

He had made sacrifices to be their _Olo'eyktan_, sacrifices that were now for what? They all walked the paths set by Eywa but his had been changed. Eywa was taking him somewhere new, somewhere none of them could have predicted. Seeing him like this was torture. To see a man who had hated weakness--in himself far more than others--to see him so weak, Piral did not know if she should be there. But the _Tsahik_ had insisted she go in. She had already seen him like this, there was no sense to showing the weakened form of the _taronyu_ they had all looked to for strength to the People.

"He is safe," she continued, "Iheyu, he is with the others. Though even when we returned, he did not want to leave you. He was fortunate, other _ikran_ were not," hesitated before pressing on, "Tanhi survived, but her wing is torn, it will be some time before she can fly again and I am not going to fly without _Tsahaylu _ again."

"The other Clans returned to their homes?" he asked finally, his eyes moving to hers.

"Yes," Piral said, relief rushing through her when he spoke, "shortly after the Sky People left."

Tsu'Tey did not nod but she knew he acknowledged her words.

"You should rest," Piral said finally.

"I have rested," he replied.

"You were being healed," she objected, "that is not resting."

She met his eyes steadily when he looked at her, clearly not expecting her to object to his words. But Piral knew she was right. He could barely sit up, even when propped against the tree he rested against. He still bore the marks of his last act of heroism, spending more energy and trying to stay awake wasn't going to help anyone and they both knew it. He needed rest more than any of them. The People would want to see him soon and when they did he would want to appear strong--they would want to see him strong. Carefully she got to her feet, intent on letting him get some rest but he stopped her with a question.

"How long was I gone?" he asked.

"Too long," she answered, stepping out into the bright sun as he surrendered himself to sleep.

* * *

**Okay so next time Ninat's going to pay a visit to the other Sky People, Tsu'Tey's going to be a bit less self-deprecating and we'll finally get to see what's going on with Jake and Neytiri. **

**Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Before we start, Ninat's going to refer to Norm as No-orm because she doesn't really know how to say his name--yet. He can probably teach her.**

**Back to the story.**

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* * *

  
**

Tirol banked hard on a thermal, letting the wind carry her and Ninat towards their destination.

Crouched on her _ikran_, Ninat looked behind to make sure the baskets she'd tied to her back were still secure. Tirol was not the largest of _ikran_ and flying with cargo was not easy for her, but she was a determined creature. It was good though that their journey was not a very long one. The Sky People's place was not very far, especially not for the _taronyu_ who knew the land as well as Ninat and Tirol did. Soon the destruction of the forest gave way to the strange landscape of the Sky People's home. Tirol let out a cry and tucked her wings, falling towards the ground. Ninat adjusted her stance as she plummeted, letting out her own whoop of joy as the adrenaline coursed through her. Pulling up at the last moment, Tirol landed on the hard ground surrounding the Sky People's large buildings.

Ninat jumped off her back and broke their bond, undoing the ties of the baskets and stacking them before walking forward. The ground felt strange under her feet, much harder than Eywa's soft soil. Tirol let out a huff and pushed off the ground, leaving Ninat alone. She would go off and hunt or circle the area until Ninat needed her again. Ninat watched until Tirol's form was blocked out by the bright sun before she turned and hurried towards the building that the few Sky People who remained occupied. Setting down her baskets outside the doors, Ninat bent down to look at the blue panel that flashed softly. Reaching out she pressed her thumb to the device like the Sky People had told her. It flashed a brighter blue in response before the doors opened with a hiss. Piral picked up her baskets and stepped into the smaller, shaded room.

Here the floor was even harder, filled with things that did not grow in Eywa's grace, things the Sky People brought with them. They felt strange on her feet, strange in a way Ninat did not like. When it came to the Sky People, Ninat knew there was a good strange and a bad strange. This was the bad strange. Through the clear doors she could see the Sky People's sterile home. She didn't understand how the Sky People could live in this place. There wasn't any color--there was no life here. They were so separate from Eywa, Ninat was sure she would go crazy if she had to stay in this place for a long time. She was certain that the Sky People who lived in the cold walls of this place were more than a little crazy.

Dr. Max Patel rounded the corner at a fast pace, one of his hands clutching a strange thing she was sure she had seen the human's wear before. She smiled when she saw him. He was one of the few Sky People there and he had helped them when the rest attacked them. He was not a _taronyu_ for his people, but he was very brave. Brave and nice. And hairy, though Ninat wasn't sure why. All the other male Sky People she had seen kept their hair very short but Dr. Max seemed to have an abundance of it. Ninat was sure if he was a Dream Walker he would have a very long _queue_. He stopped right in front of her and spoke, his voice accented as he greeted her.

"_Oel ngati kameie_, Ninat," Max said.

"_Oel ngati kameie_, Dr. Max," Ninat said, "I have brought you food," she continued, switching to his language, "and more bandages for No-orm's Avatar."

"Thank you," he said, moving to the wall and pulling on another of the black devices, pressing a button that made it let out a sharp hiss as it began to work. Keying in something he opened the glass doors and stepped into where she was. Ninat immediately knelt down, trying to bring their faces a bit closer together so he didn't have to strain to look up at her, "I've got something for you too," he said, his voice slightly distorted by the clear mask he wore, "this," he said holding up the black thing, "will let you come inside."

Ninat felt her ears perk up. To go inside the Sky People's home? That was definitely good strange. She had heard Neytiri describing the small home Jake had lived in and it sounded strange, full of beds that closed over you and food that came in packets. And from the way Neytiri had talked about it, that had been one of the smaller homes. This was a big one. Ninat couldn't help but look over at the doors before looking quickly back at Dr. Max and the strange device he held.

"Like what you wear?" she asked.

"Yes," he said, "I modified it to work for you," he held it out to her.

Ninat took it, holding the strange thing in her hand. The material felt as strange in her grip as the floor did on her feet. It was large and curved with a black rim going all around it and two black straps. She looked at it and then at him, noting how the straps went around his head before pulling it over her own. It took her a moment to settle it, adjusting her _queue_ so it would not be pressed on by the black straps but soon it was on. She slid the strap over her chest, the pack hanging just below her bow. Her fingers found the button on the top and she pressed it. A hiss echoed in her ears as the black rim tightened around her face.

"Did it work?" she asked, frowning at the strange echo of her voice.

"Yes," he said, "come on in."

Ninat nodded and picked up her baskets, stepping into the Sky People's home. She just fit, her head resting just under the white tiles of the ceiling. She was lucky to be relatively short, even for a member of the People. The little bit of soil that remained on the ground in the room she had been was gone here, the ground completely free of Eywa's warmth. Ninat felt her toes curl at the unexpectedly hard and cool surface. The sounds were strange too, soft whooshes and hisses that kept this place alive and running. Ninat could just imagine smaller machines keeping the big one going, like the bits and pieces inside the People. Dr. Max kept his pace slow, letting her have plenty of time to look around as they made their way through the place he called home.

The joy on Ninat's face made the past three sleepless nights completely worth it. Ninat had been one of the first People Max had encountered when he came to Pandora, back before the People decided the Sky People were not welcome. The first time he'd seen her she'd been standing with a few other Na'vi as Grace tried to explain her idea of the school to the leaders. She was not a highly ranking member of the Clan but she'd been there, half hidden in the bushes, watching them so intently. When they had returned, on a whim, Max had waved to her and much to his shock the young Na'vi had perked up immediately and copied the gesture, even though she did not know what it meant.

Now Ninat was one of their main suppliers, always making sure they had food and other things that Hell's Gate did not supply its residents with. They had food of course but their food wasn't going to last forever. Slowly acclimatizing themselves to the Na'vi food was just another step in becoming permanent residents of this had already been talk of growing Avatars for those who did not have them. But that would take years and their food wasn't going to last that long. But a few of the more curious members of the Na'vi had begun to come there regularly, leaving their things in the airlock for them to pick up. So Max had started to modify the Exopacks to allow them to come inside.

Ninat was one of the smaller females of the Tribe and though Max knew she had been trained to be a _taronyu_--as most were--he knew her interests lay elsewhere. She was a singer, one of the best in the Tribe. As singing was one of the main ways the People worshipped Eywa, Ninat had a good place in the Tribe, the place of a mid-level Priestess back on earth. She did not wear the same ornaments as most of the _taronyu_. Her braids were threaded with shells found on the shores and twined with vines and often bright flowers. Most of the ornaments she wore had shells and stones that had been smoothed either by hand or nature. Walking down one of the corridors, she was a sharp reminder of the world that lay outside the confines of Hell's Gate.

"What's that?" Ninat asked looking over her shoulder at the bright room.

"That's the control center," Max said, "I'm sorry, here, put the baskets down, I'll give you the tour."

"They are not that heavy," she said setting them down anyway as he led her into the room, "control center?" she asked looking at the circular room.

"Yeah, this is where the magic happens," he said, "here, I'll show you," he said hurrying over to one of the terminals.

Ninat followed him slowly as he bent over one of the terminals, his fingers tapping the black screen. Her eyes widened as she watched the screen flash to life. Her eyes widened as she watched it respond to his touch. He brought up some strange square shape, filled with smaller circles. She leaned flower, her eyes darting across the strange shapes.

"Press this," he said pointing to one circle.

Ninat reached forward, pressing one finger to the strange and smooth surface. Instantly the bright light overhead went out. Ninat gasped, snatching her hand back as her eyes shot up towards the darkened lights. One button made another thing happen, even though she could not see how the two were connected. It was like standing in the woods with Eywa connecting them all. Except there was no Eywa here. Nothing but what the Sky People had built. How strange, to think the Sky People had struggled and done what Eywa had made so effortlessly. There was effort here, lots of effort. But beauty as well. Ninat let her hand slide from the screen. She had not expected there to be beauty.

"Your world is strange," she said, her eyes moving to him.

"Your world's strange to us too," he said, "or it was, when we first got here. Press that again and lets get the lights on before I take you to where Norm is with his Avatar."

Ninat tapped the circle again, the lights seamlessly turning on as she followed him towards the main part of the Sky People's home. He took her down a long corridor where the ground became marked with small squares that felt even stranger against her feet and walls that were filled with squares that, when pressed, slid out to reveal a variety of strange objects. The place was so strange and yet so incredible Ninat was sure she was going to need to stop and catch her breath before continuing to look around. Dr. Max led her down the corridor before he stopped and stepped into a strange doorway. This room was darker than the others, the lights glowing as blue as the sea.

Ninat glimpsed a group of small beds stacked neatly along the wall, each with a few belongings close by. Another part had been portioned off with for where they prepared their meals with another for where they ate. She knew the place was large but the Sky People seemed to have confined themselves to a small portion of the place. She turned to look further in but Dr. Max stopped her.

"And this is the main room," he said, "sleeping, eating--all the magic happens here. There aren't many of us so we've cut power to most of this place, no point in using what we might need. Now before we go further, in there's the link chamber and Norm's Avatar. We've had it in liquid suspension to jump start the healing process. Its moving but it's not feeling, okay?"

"Moving but not feeling?" Ninat looked at him, confused, "you cannot move without feeling."

Max looked at her. Explaining the Avatar process was difficult to even a scientist. Ninat was not a fool but the Na'vi technology was far behind Earth's. There was no need for them to have their technology. Still he did not know how she would act when she saw the Avatar. Norm was fine but his Avatar had been damaged seriously in the battle with the rest of the RDA. Carefully Max stepped aside. Ninat stepped forward, venturing deeper into the room. Her eyes found the form of the Avatar, suspended in liquid and illuminated by flowing blue light.

The body twitched inside the blue liquid.

Ninat gasped, her fingers pressing her hands against the glass as her tail twitched back and forth. She had expected this one to look like No-orm, but even so it was strange to see his features on the body of one of the People. The body didn't wake when she pressed her fingers against the glass, the glass of her mask pressing against the slope of the tank. Her eyes went to the scars that covered on his shoulder and chest, from the injuries the weapons of the Sky People had given him. Maybe the body had been dead, maybe it still was. it was just strange to see, one of the Avatar's floating there so still while the person who controlled it was somewhere else.

"_Oel ngati kameie_, Ninat."

Ninat tore her eyes away from the strange sight to see No-orm standing there. He was taller than Dr. Max and far less hairy, but the Sky People were still much shorter than the People. But No-orm was one who always seemed sad. As if he had had something torn away from him, like he had lost something he had cared deeply about. Something or, maybe, someone. Even so he was always respectful when he talked to her, though the formality of his words had been getting less and less. Ninat was grateful. When she'd first talked to him, it was like talking to a _Tsahik_ or _Olo'eyktan_. Now it was just like talking to a person.

"_Oel ngati kameie, _No-orm," she said, "how is your body doing?"

"Recovering," Norm said, lips twitching at the inquisitiveness in Ninat's eyes.

She was by far the most curious of the _Omatikaya_, forever touching and asking questions. He doubted any of the others would want to come to this place, to venture this deep into the Sky People's home. But Ninat had not only come, she looked excited to be there. He would have expected her to react badly to the site of one of the Avatar bodies but she seemed interested, her eyes flicking between him and the Avatar as her marks lit up in a display of interest and puzzlement. She was quick too, easily grasping the basics of human technology without any of the understandable disgust the Sky People showed towards it.

"Does this No-orm feel anything now?" she asked looking at the body.

"He'll respond to stimuli," Norm began, seeing confusion in her eyes, "if you poked him, he'd move. But he doesn't feel anything."

"Would you feel if I touched him?" she asked.

"Not unless I was linked," he said.

"Linked?" she questioned, brow furrowing as she looked up and around, trying to see what he could mean by link, "I do not understand. How do you link No-orm?"

Norm smiled at the innocent sight of her confusion. He didn't think that they had ever shown someone the Link process. Even with the first of the Avatars, the People had not really wanted to understand the particulars and the few who had were overshadowed by the fear of their leaders. Ninat would probably not understand half the things that went into making a successful Link, all the neurology and technology, but he could at least show her a few things. Ninat looked at him curiously.

"You want to see how it works?" he offered.

"Yes," Ninat said, nodding eagerly.

"Come with me," he said, leading her deeper into the room.

* * *

Making arrows was boring work.

Boring but necessary.

So many things had been lost in their fight with the Sky People, Arrows were a secondary concern. But now they were a primary one. _Taronyu_ sat in a small circle, their fingers working over long sticks, feathers and tips. They would be tipped later with the toxin. But first they needed to be made. Piral's fingers worked carefully to attach the tips to the arrows. Usually _taronyu_ made their own but they needed more. Too many. So now they worked together. Of all the strange differences introduced by Jakesully, this was one that Piral did not mind. They had already made more arrows together than Piral knew each could make on their own, all working in perfect synch. They were _taronyu_, they knew how to work with each other.

It was very good the work was mindless.

Piral's thoughts were a thousand miles away, all centered around one man who lay barely a hundred feet away, hidden by the shelter of the trees. A man who was upset at being alive, at being saved by Eywa. Ninat was off making a delivery to the Sky People, something Piral knew as necessary. Yet she wished her friend was there, if for nothing else than to listen to the thoughts that collided in Piral's head. Once, when she had first made _tsahaylu _with Tanhi, the _ikran_ had dove and the sensation of being weightless and falling had stuck with Piral. In time she had come to like it--to enjoy it even--but the first time it had been so unpleasant. Now she felt that once more, the same unpleasant, weightless feeling. The ground she had been so used to was gone and in its place was nothingness. Nothing to stop her fall, nothing to do but brace herself for the inevitable impact.

"Where are they going?"

At the other _taronyu's_ words, Piral looked over to see the _Tsahik_ leading her daughter and jakesully towards the shelter where Tsu'Tey lay. Piral's fingers paused as she felt her ears flatten in distaste. Tsu'Tey would not want anyone to see him as he was now, especially not the woman he thought he would mate with and the man who had cost him everything--_Toruk Makto_ or not. Angrily Piral turned back to the arrow she was making. It was not her place to question the actions of the _Tsahik_ and her daughter, only to follow them. But if she could have questioned, she would have. They had done so much, they had changed everything and for what? For their daughter's happiness? For a peace that would never be? What had all their sacrifice been for?

"Piral," Kame, one of the other _taronyu_ spoke her name, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Piral snapped back, her tone clipped as she finished the arrow she held and reached for another.

"Where is the _Tsahik_ going?" A'win, another asked as she fixed feathers on the edge of an arrow.

"To look after the _Olo'eyktan_," Tr'enu replied, his fingers moving over the arrow's shaft.

Piral wanted to tell them what he had said but his bitter words stuck in her throat. She knew they would not hear otherwise. They too believed he was _Olo'eyktan_, just as she did. Because they had spent their entire lives learning to trust his words, learning to understand that he was their leader. The sacrifice he had made was not just his, it was theirs as well. Piral would stake her last bead on the fact that whether jakesully was _Toruk Makto_ or not, if Tsu'Tey had rejected him the People would have as well. But he had accepted him and in doing so the others had followed suite. Because Tsu'Tey was their leader. Because if he had ordered them to go to the Sky People's home on foot, they would have without question. Because he was their _taronyu_, their brother, their _Olo'eyktan. _

"Eywa be thanked for his return," A'win murmured moving to the next arrow. The others looked at her, "even if he cannot remain _Olo'eyktan_, he is there to train jakesully."

"Tsu'Tey is _Olo'eyktan_," Tre'nu cut her off, his voice edged in anger, "he will remain _Olo'eyktan_."

"He is not Neytiri's mate," A'win said looking at him.

"He is our _Olo'eyktan_," Tre'nu snapped, "jakesully is Neytiri's mate--"

"And as such he must be the _Olo'eyktan_," Kame spoke up, eyes not moving from his task, "it is the law."

"Then why did Eywa save him?" A'win demanded.

"Do not question the All-mother's will," Piral snapped, silencing the younger _taronyu_, "Eywa saved him."

A'win opened her mouth but Kame, ever the peace maker cut her off.

"Piral is right," he said, eyes moving up nervously before returning to his work, "we should not question the All-mother's will. The _Olo'eyktan_ has been saved, for whatever purpose Eywa wills, _Atokrina_ _eyk tireafya'o_."

Piral nodded and murmured the prayer for guidance as well. They all needed guidance in times like these. They spoke no more of the matter of who their _Olo'eyktan_ would be as they finished their work, transforming the raw materials into the arrows. Or of any matter really, their lips silent as they finished the work of the day. The sun was past its highest point in the sky by the time they were finished with their work, the raw materials transformed by the skillful hands of the _taronyu_. Finally finished, they all stood and left the circle they had created to work in. Flexing her fingers, Piral stood and walked towards the outskirts of the camp, intent on either hunting or spoiling Tanhi.

"Piral."

Piral paused as she looked over her shoulder. Kame approached her. He was tall, even for one of the People, large as well. He wore his hair in the style favored by most of the male _taronyu_, leaving his features free of the braids of his _queue_. Even with his size, he was among the most gentle of the _taronyu_. Like Ninat his skills lay elsewhere, more for the arts than the warrior craft. Still he was graceful as he walked towards her, closing the distance between them. Though Piral found him to be the more tolerable of the _taronyu_, at the moment she had no desire to socialize with the others. Not now. Not when she had so much on her mind. Still she stayed still as he came next to her.

"You have seen him, haven't you?" he asked, eyes searching his features. Piral looked down, "is he awake? Does he suffer? Is he--"

"He is awake," Piral said looking down before looking at him, "and in time he will recover."

"_Irayo_," he breathed, closing his eyes before opening them and looking at her.

He understood. Every _taronyu_ there understood Tsu'Tey's reluctance to be seen by his fellow _taronyu_. Even so he saw that he was worried, concerned for their _Olo'eyktan_ and fellow _taronyu_. Piral stepped forward, reaching out and grasping Kame's arm. Kame nodded in return to her comforting hand, though they both knew Tsu'Tey would not return to them as _Olo'eyktan_. Letting her hand drop, Piral turned back to the woods, intent on hunting but before she could take another step a shadow fell across them, announcing another's presence. Piral and Kame turned to see Mo'at standing there. Immediately they bowed, showing their deference to the _Tsahik_.

"_Oel ngati Kameie, Tsahik_," they both greeted.

"_Oel ngati Kameie, taronyu_," she replied, "Kame, my daughter wishes to speak to you," Kame nodded and bowed out, leaving the _Tsahik_ and remaining _taronyu_ alone, "The son of Ateyo sleeps," she said, "though he rests, his journey back to us will not be an easy one."

"The _taronyu_ will help him--" she began but stopped when Mo'at spoke.

"His path has changed. My daughter's actions and those of her mate have changed the path we all thought we would walk. This is the will of our All-mother, daughter of Atan."

Piral nodded, feeling her cheeks burn in embarrassment at the stern note in the _Tsahik's_ voice. She was not the only _taronyu_ to have mixed feelings about the mate of Neytiri but she was one of the oldest and certainly one of the most experienced. Her words were listened to by the other _taronyu_, especially the ones that she had had a hand in training. Never terribly good at hiding her emotions, Piral was sure others knew of her objections. Of the fact her loyalty was to the son of Ateyo rather than the Dream Walker. But she was older, a leader--she should have put the needs of the others before her own selfishness. She could not change her feelings, but she could have changed the way that she acted to the others.

"I will walk the path Eywa sets," she said softly, her eyes locked on the ground.

"Jake Sully will be the _Olo'eyktan_ of the _Omaticaya_," she said, "but he will need help to walk this path, the help of the _taronyu_, _taronyu_ who followed him into battle against the Sky People. A battle Eywa herself saw fit to bless."

Piral nodded, shame filling her stomach at her behavior.

She still did not know how she felt about jakesully, but the _Tsahik's_ words were a sharp reminder of what she had forgotten. Eywa had fought alongside him, blessed the battle. The All-mother had seen fit to give him another chance, to save everything he was in the body of his Avatar. The All-mother had blessed him. Who was she to question the All-mother's will?

"Yes, _Tsahik_," she said finally, the words sticky in her mouth.

"The son of Ateyo refuses to see the others," Mo'at said, "but you have seen him already, he will not refuse you."

"_Tsahik_?" she questioned, unsure of what she was about to say.

"When Eywa steers us on a new path, the first step is the most difficult," she said, "it eases when we know that others walk the path with us."

Piral opened her mouth to object. To tell the _Tsahik_ that there were others--anyone else--who could remind Tsu'Tey he did not walk the path alone. He had isolated himself from them to learn to become _Olo'eyktan_ and now what? Now she was just supposed to walk in and remind him that just because everything had been ripped away there was still hope? That there was still a reason to go on? She risked a look at the _Tsahik_'s face but saw only seriousness there. She was serious. But what about Neytiri or jakesully or anyone? But the _Tsahik_ had chosen her and there was no place for her to object. She closed her mouth, looking down at her feet.

"I will do the bidding of our All-mother, _Tsahik_."

"We all serve the All-mother, _taronyu_," the _Tsahik_ reminded her, "and walk whatever path She sees fit."

"_Srane, Tsahik_," she said, lowering her head in submissions.

The _Tsahik_ nodded before moving away. Piral stayed where she was for a moment longer before turning and heading for the shelter where the son of Ateyo lay. Standing in the doorway, she surveyed him. His eyes were closed but the rise and fall of his chest was much steadier than it had been. He looked better as well, but that could just as easily have been the shadows that took over the sun. The _Tsahik_ was skilled at bandaging but his would need to be changed soon. But for the moment he seemed content to rest. Crossing her arms over her chest, Piral glanced behind her at the few other _taronyu_ walking on their way to the forest to go hunt. Well there was not going to be any hunting now. Yet another thing the war had taken from her.

Letting out a breath, Piral walked forward to where he lay. It was a testament to how tired and hurt he was that he did not stir when she knelt down beside him, looking at his oddly peaceful features. Piral frowned, trying not reach out and see if he was still alive. Sitting down next to him, she crossed her legs under her and leaned back against the wall next to him. Between hunting and doing watch, they had been pushing themselves as hard as they could. She had not realized she was tired.

She didn't even realize when, sitting next to him, she fell asleep.

* * *

**Okay so next time Jake and Neytiri are (finally) going to have a larger role. They are going to be a crucial part of the story, especially as Tsu'Tey gets better. I know that sometimes there is an anti-jake tone to this but the whole point of the story is to explore the Avatar events from the viewpoint of people who might not have been all gun ho about Jake's leadership. Oh and next time Tsu'Tey's going to wake up. Probably to a sleepy Piral. **

**Now, onto something else. The number of alters and faves on this story has about tripled since my last update. I am honored by that, really I am. What makes me a little disappointed is how few of you decided to review. Really I understand if you fave/alert the story you are enjoying it but I really like your feedback, especially with reviews but PMs work too. **

**So please PLEASE review!**

**Ninat's ikran is named Tirol which means Song**


	5. Chapter 5

Waking in the sunlight, it took Tsu'Tey a moment to remember where he was.

Like eating a fruit that was not yet ready, the bitter taste in his mouth reminded him where he was and in what state. The dull pain had changed again, now he felt as though he had been out hunting all night before and woken the next day with the soreness in his muscles. Only he had not been out hunting and the soreness was probably the effect of coming back to life. It was unplesant but he had felt much worse for far longer. Instead he tried to focus on the fact that he could feel something other than the weariness that had taken over his entire being the last time he had been conscious. The last thing he could remember was being told that he had been gone for too long before sleep had pulled him in and he had thought no more. From the sun he realized he had either not been asleep that long or he had been asleep long enough for the sun to set and come back up once more.

Thankfully when he moved himself slightly away from the tree his _queue_ did not feel if it was trying to escape.

His eyes moved across the space, landing on the companion who shared it. Piral must have truly been exhausted if she had fallen asleep like this. Tsu'Tey knew the _taronyu_ must have been pushing themselves as hard as they could, not only for themselves but for the safety of the People. Especially if they were in between _Olo'eytkans. _A _Tsahik _was the spiritual leader but they did not know the _taronyu_, not as _Olo'eytkan_'s did. There was a balance to everything, including how the Clan was run. Piral and the other _taronyu_ had pushed themselves hard, harder than they probably should have. Especially given the battle they had just fought. All members of the Clan needed to recover, including the _taronyu_. Tsu'Tey carefully eased his weight forward, moving to stand up. But that seemed to be too much for his body. Pain seared across his chest, before he could fully contain it a groan escaped his lips as he fell back against the tree.

Exhausted or no, Piral was _taronyu_ and at the sound, her eyes snapped open, her body twisting up in one seamless motion as she crouched low, her eyes zeroing in on the source of the sound. They widened when she realized that it was Tsu'Tey. Not only was he awake but from the way he was sitting, not against the tree, his chest heaving, he had tried to stand up. Piral quickly moved towards him but he held a hand up, stopping her momentarily. It was her training that stopped her, training to follow the word of the _Olo'eyktan_, of Tsu'Tey. But sense pushed her past that to grasp his shoulder, making sure that he laid against the tree. His head lolled to the side, the few beads in his braids clacking together. For a moment Piral was sure he was either going to be sick or fall back unconscious. But after a moment the rise and fall of his chest deepened and steadied.

"_Skxawang,_" she hissed before she could stop herself, "why would you try such a thing?"

"How long has it been since I was awake?" he demanded, his chest heaving as he struggled to calm his breath. Piral looked down, "how long?" he repeated, his voice stronger.

"A day," she said, "a little more than a day."

"And before that?" she seemed hesitant to answer, her eyes still elsewhere. Tsu'Tel felt his fingers on her forearm tighten, "Piral, how long?"

"Twenty one nights," she said, her gold eyes flicking up to his, "Iheyu and you were gone for twenty one nights. We searched for you but none could find you. Not when you were in the place of death."

Twenty one nights. That was a very long time. His hand dropped from her forearm as Piral let her own fall away from his chest. He had thought that he was gone for a while but not that long. Had he really been so close to death that Eywa had taken so long to heal him? Or had the All-mother had another purpose for holding him as long as she had? Neytiri would have had search parties running, looking for the dead and dying and surely some of them had been found. But if he had been taken to the remains of where they had once lived, he understood that there were not many who would think to look for the dead there. His eyes went to Piral who crouched beside him, her hands brushing the soil as she looked anxiously at him, half expecting him to do something stupid again.

"Where did you find me?" he asked her.

"Iheyu brought me to the _Utral Aymokriya_," she said, "in that sacred place, our All-mother healed you."

"Why did you venture into such a place?" he asked.

"None have dared to go," she said, "I wished to see where we lived for so long and Iheyu found me and brought me to you," she eased back a bit further as Tsu'Tey's breathing got steadier, "you cannot stand until you are ready," Piral said, worry overriding the respect she knew she should show him. Tsu'Tey looked at her but she held his gaze, "What if you had stood up and fallen with no-one there to catch you?" she demanded, her tail whipping back and forth.

Tsu'Tey gave no reply and Piral felt her ears flatten. She would get no explanation from him, not now. Embarrassment at her own carelessness with falling asleep and anger at him for trying something so foolish churned in her stomach. Abruptly Piral got to her feet and left the shelter. Eyes on the shelter made her stop. Piral looked over her shoulder to see jakesully standing there, pacing back and forth as he mouthed words she didn't know. Ears pressing in distaste, Piral turned and walked off to the rest of the _taronyu_.

* * *

Of all the things Jake Sully had done, of all the impossible victories he'd all but pulled out of his ass, it was somewhat comforting to know that he could still feel as sick as he did right then.

Standing outside the place where Tsu'Tey lay.

Half dead, fighting for his life--a man who had lost everything he thought he would be and Jake was the one who couldn't face him. He felt like he was going to blow chunks everywhere. What the hell was he supposed to do? Go walk in there and do what? Apologize for stealing everything that Tsu'Tey had worked his entire life for. All because he had fallen in love with the Princess that was supposed to be his mate. Because he had made a bond with her. Because she had chosen him and he chose her. The first thing he had learned being a Marine was that in the thrill of battle, with the adrenaline pounding through you, you didn't feel pain. Or sadness, or hunger or hurt or any of the pesky things that seemed so important when it was not flight or fight. Half of Jake wished that they were still fighting, if only because the battlefield was where _taronyu_, of any culture, understood each other.

He just wished that he didn't understand the position Tsu'Tey was in quite so well.

Having everything you thought you would be ripped away by a fucking fluke, by some bastard who just got lucky one day, that was the short straw. He'd pulled it, now Tsu'Tey had. He just never figured that he'd be the one who did it to someone else. Not after all the hours he'd spent thinking about all the delicious agony he'd put the bastard in who was responsible for putting him in a wheel chair. Now he'd gone and done the same thing to someone else, to someone who had called him 'brother' no less. A few months ago he wouldn't have had a problem with pissing off the asshole who'd been so intent on killing him. A few months ago he had just been the jarhead in a team of scientists. A few months ago he was human. It was months but so much had changed that it felt like another lifetime. Like everything he had been before becoming a Na'vi had been a dream, like he spent his entire life trying to wake up. He knew he could justify not going in there. He imagined that he was probably the last person that Tsu'Tey wanted to see. When he'd woken up and realized that he couldn't walk, couldn't be a marine--couldn't do anything he hadn't wanted to see anyone.

Especially not his brother.

Jake looked over his shoulder at where Neytiri stood with her mother. He could feel her pain radiating from their bond. Pain at loosing her father, at loosing Seze. But there was another pain there, nestled among all the agony of loss. She felt guilt. Guilt that she had changed the path Eywa had set for her, guilt at what the Clan had to go through because she had chosen another mate. Guilt that she had betrayed Tsu'Tey. Jake knew she loved him, he felt that too and he knew he'd give almost anything to go back to that night under the Tree of Voices. Before everything had gone to hell and back. As if sensing his gaze on her, her eyes moved to him. She held his gaze for a moment before turning back to her mother, listening to what Mo'at said. Sternly Jake looked back at the shelter. Neytiri was with her mother, learning to become _Tsahik_ and, as her mate, he was going to become _Olo'eyktan_ and for that, he too needed help. Help from a man who, if he kicked his ass, Jake wouldn't be able to find fault with it.

Moving forward, Jake ducked into the structure where Tsu'Tey was.

It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the shadows that dappled the light. Tsu'Tey was sitting against the tree. The moment Jake entered the large _taronyu's_ eyes went to him. Jake couldn't help the surprise on his face. Without the ornaments he had worn, authority still was written on every line of his face. But without them, without the skin covered, Jake could see just what had gone into earning that authority. His eyes found where the bullets had gone, scars concealed by bandages that wound around his chest. But there were other scars. The most obvious of them was the long, ropy line that went around Tsu'Tey's throat, previously hidden by the collar he wore. He had seen the long line on his left forearm and the marks on his upper back from the claws of something that lived in the woods. But the small, dotted white lines on the _taronyu's_ upper arm, those Jake recognized.

"_Oel ngati kameie_, Jakesully," Tsu'Tey spoke, his voice oddly smooth.

"_Oel ngati Kamei, _Tsu'Tey," Jake replied, the words like tar in his mouth.

"You are not Dream Walking," Tsu'Tey said, his gold eyes moving across his face, "your eyes are clear."

"Yeah," Jake said, "I passed through the Eye of Eywa," he motioned to himself, "this is me now."

"You still speak like a Sky Person," Tsu'Tey said, a note of the old disgust he'd held for Jake and the Avatar's in his tone.

"Well," Jake reached up and scratched the back of his neck, "so are you hungry--thirsty--"

"I am not '_eveng_, Jakesully," Tsu'Tey snapped, his ears puling back at the condescending tone.

"Yeah it looked like Piral was more than capable of taking care of you--" Tsu'Tey glared furiously at him, "I'm going to shut up now," Jake said trailing off.

"No," Tsu'Tey stopped him, his voice surprisingly sharp, "_Olo'eyktan_ must know the _Taronyu_ he leads. Piral is one of them. Kame, A'win--even Ninat. You must know your people--"

"My people?" Jake sputtered, "no way. No they're your people. You're _Olo'eyktan_--"

"Not for long," Tsu"Tey said, his voice only holding the slightest bitterness, "you have mated with Neytiri, the future _Tsahik_. As Eytukan became _Olo'eyktan_ by mating with Mo'at, the _Tsahik_, you will become _Olo'eyktan_."

"But I just got here--" he began to protest but was stopped as Tsu'Tey hissed at him, the strongest show of force Jake knew the recovering Na'vi was capable of.

"Who are you, Jakesully, to question the will of the All-mother?" Tsu'Tey demanded, "you are _taronyu_, you are _Toruk Makto_. You have led the Clans into battle before. Now you will lead them in peace. You will be _Olo'eyktan_ and I will show you how."

Somehow it was easy to speak the words aloud. They had sounded incredibly miserable to his pain fogged mind but when they left his lips, Tsu'Tey knew they were right and a new burden settled on his shoulders. _Olo'eyktan_ or no, his strength was for the People. Just as Mo'at was undoubtably giving all her strength to train her daughter, he realized all his would be to show Jakesully the way to become _Olo'eyktan_. Most _Olo'eyktan_ did not impart their wisdom to the new until they were almost dead. Now he knew at least part of why Eywa had saved him. There were things, things about the Clan, things only an _Olo'eyktan_ would know. Things that, had he not survived, would have been lost. Eywa took care of her people, sometimes in ways they could not see.

"Its Jake," Jake said finally, breaking the silence, "my name, there are two. Its Jake Sully, not Jakesully."

"Two names?" Tsu'Tey frowned, "you did not speak of this before."

"Didn't seem important at the time," Jake said, "Ne--" he stopped, sensing now wasn't the best time to bring up Neytiri, "its just Jake."

"Just Jake? You said you had one name--"

"Yes, I mean, I do," Jake pressed a hand to his chest, "Jake," he said firmly.

"Jake," Tsu'Tey repeated, "the People will have to learn to speak your name," he said, "there are no names like Jake in our language."

"I know," Jake said, "just wait til Norm gets back in his Avatar."

Tsu'Tey's eyes narrowed. Norm, the other Dream Walker was here. Did that mean more had been allowed to stay? This was not their place, not their world. If they stayed, did that mean others would come for them? He looked at Jake, his head saying he should trust him but his heart saying he had no place to allow the Sky People to stay.

"How may of the Sky People stayed?" he demanded.

"Not many," Jake said quickly, seeing how that could be taken badly, "the ones that helped us fight. A few wanted to stay so we let them," Tsu'Tey still seemed angered, "our planet--"

"Their planet," the larger _taronyu_ cut him off. Jake stared at him, "you are not one of them anymore, Jake. This is your planet. Not where you came from--"

"I came from earth!" Jake objected, his earthly pride overshadowing the voice in his head that said he should shut the hell up, "I'll always come from earth--"

"And when the Sky People return will you side with them?" Tsu'Tey demanded, his fingers curling angrily, "because you came from earth?"

"No!" Jake objected.

"You will not decide that you care for the Sky People like you came to care for the People?" Tsu'Tey continued to press him, "if you still believe you care for the place you came from how can you be sure? How do you know you will not betray the People like you did your own?!"

"That is enough!"

Both men stopped and looked at Mo'at. She stood in the doorway, looking every inch the _Tsahik_. Her eyes angrily went from one to the other, seemingly torn between who she wanted to kill first. Jake felt shame join the pounding anger that throbbed through him. But for all his injury, Tsu'Tey still looked furious, like he'd jump up and try to kill Jake even if it meant that he'd die as well. Mo'at stepped to the side of the doorway, exposing the exit. Jake knew exactly what she was saying to him. Before he could shout anything else that would get him into more trouble, he ducked out of the shelter. Tsu'Tey looked up at Mo'at, not surprised to see anger shining in her eyes when she looked at him as well. Without a word she turned and left, like a mother who had scolded her fighting children was too angry to look at either of them.

Outside Piral looked at Mo'at before turning to the People gathered there, drawn by the shouts of their current _Olo'eyktan _and their future one. A part of her wanted to let the hear, to stand about and gawk as jakesully stormed out. She looked over at the sight of her fellow _taronyu_, all standing there staring like the rest of the People. If Tsu'Tey was really going to train jakesully to be the _Olo'eyktan_ then his task would be far more simple if the _taronyu_ did not stand there listening on things they should not. Especially the younger ones, ones still new enough that they did not even have their own _ikran_ yet. But they had fought and the other _taronyu_ had seen fit to treat them with respect. Piral marched over to them, grabbing the shoulder of one of the larger ones and spinning him around.

"Enough!" she said, "there is much to do before _txon_. Do not stand here like a _tawtute_, you are almost _taronyu_. Act like one! _Ka_!"

The _taronyu_ left quickly after her sharp reprimand and the other People left as well. Piral stood there, watching them walk away before she turned around. Neytiri stood there, bow in hand. Piral quickly looked away. Respect she could give to the _Tsahik_ but around her daughter, Piral did not know if she could hold her tongue. The feeling of being watched soon passed and when Piral turned around, Neytiri was gone. Piral walked up to the shelter, her eyes finding the basket set just outside the entrance. Pulling back the covering she saw bandages and ointments inside, all the supplies for changing Tsu'Tey's bandages. Picking it up, she ducked into the shelter where he lay, his eyes hidden from her. Piral walked over to where he sat, setting down the basket and seating herself next to him. Taking her knife out of its sheath, she began to cut the bandages from him, taking care not to injure him further. After the first cut, he spoke.

"He is not ready to be _Olo'eyktan_," he said, "he does not trust the All-mother."

Piral looked at him as his gold eyes met hers, anger still bright in them.

"No," she agreed, moving forward to cut the bandages from his chest.

"How will he lead the People if he does not understand?" Tsu'Tey demanded, though Piral knew he was speaking to himself more than to her, "after all Eywa has shown him, how can he still be so blind."

"He is a _Tawtute,_" Piral said before she could stop herself, cutting away the last of the bandages.

"Was a _Tawtute_. He is now one of the People," he said and Piral felt her ears flatten.

Tsu'Tey watched her carefully as she dipped her fingers into the earthenware jar, holding his arm in her other hand as she slowly began to spread the herb mixture across his wound. She did not say anything to confirm or deny what he said as she tended to his injuries but it did not matter, he could tell she did not like the fact Jake was one of the People. Tsu'Tey had enjoyed that, once. He had taken pride in the knowledge that the _taronyu_ he had trained and fought alongside were not as easily suckered in as the Princess and her parents. Now though he saw that there could be serious trouble. Piral had always been among the more vocal of the _taronyu_ but did she speak for all of them? Her age and status ensured her words were listened to but he knew they could also be the thing that tipped the opinions of the _taronyu_ who might not be more focused on the hand Jake had in destroying their home than the one he had in giving them a new one.

"The Sky People bring trouble," she said softly, her fingers brushing the bandages that entwined his waist before laying on the old wound on his arm, "it is their way."

"He is _taronyu_ and Neytiri's mate," Tsu'Tey said, "this is our way."

Her fingers tightened in the dirt. She hated what she heard but more, she hated that it was coming from him. How could he be so accepting of the new path Eywa was steering them in? But when she looked at him she did not see the anger or the hatred she had thought. She did not see anything she recognized in the son of Ateyo's face. He was accepting this. Even with the fight that he had just gotten in, he was still going to go through with this plan to train jakesully, a Sky Person, as their _Olo'eyktan_. But he had to know that the People wanted him to be their _Olo'eyktan_.

"It should not be our way," Piral said, her ears still pressed flat in distaste.

"You have so much anger," Tsu'Tey said, "so much hate--"

"Why should I not?" Piral demanded, patience snapping like a fine thread, "after what the Sky People did? After what he did?" she hissed, her voice low only because of the People outside, "why should I not be angry? Why should I not hate? What has he done--what have any of them done to make me trust him like a _taronyu_ should trust her _Olo'eyktan_?"

"You have already followed him into battle," Tsu'Tey said.

"Because of you!" Piral burst out, "we followed him because you did--that is why we do it now. Because you are our _Olo'eyktan_ and we would follow you any--"

"Do not speak of this anymore!" Tsu'Tey cut her off angrily, unable to hear her words any longer, "you are _taronyu_, not '_eveng_."

Silently Piral stood up, towering over. When she spoke her voice was low and laced through with anger.

"I would rather be the lowest of _'eveng_ then listen to you speak as though you have already given up everything you worked for--everything your _taronyu_ believed--for a traitor."

She practically threw herself out of the shelter. It was soon to be dark out and more of the People were nearby but Piral could not stand it. Her throat was tight and her eyes burned. How could he just talk about himself as though he had already given up? Did he not understand that they had believed as he did, that he would be _Olo'eyktan_ and lead them? All of them, they had all accepted when he withdrew for training. They had been proud of their friend becoming the next leader. But they had missed him as well. Missed the young boy who got into fights with them and tugged at her braids. Piral had missed him. And now it had been for nothing. All that he had given up--she knew her own pain was small in comparison. She had lost a friend, he had lost everything and yet she was the one acting like '_eveng_, like a child and he was the one acting like a _taronyu_. Tears burning at her eyes, Piral brushed past them and into the woods, intent on going into the _ikran_ nest and seeing Tanhi.

"_Oel ngati kameie,_ Piral!"

"Ninat!" Piral gasped, looking upwards to see her friend laying in the branches. Ninat looked very happy, "you are back from the Sky People's home?"

"Yes," Ninat said with a grin, "you look sad. Are you alright?"

"Fine," Piral said shortly, "I am going to bandage Tanhi."

Ninat bit back a smile. At least Piral wasn't going hunting. If she went hunting all the times she said she did, Ninat was sure the entire Clan would be fed ten times over. It was what Piral did when she was upset, she left. Once she was out in the forest, Ninat knew that Piral was one of the best _taronyu_ in the tribe. But half the time she went, it was because she had been upset. It was not unique for the _taronyu_ to hunt when they were upset, especially not in times of stress. But Ninat had never understood why _taronyu_ got so upset so easily. Piral was upset, she just didn't want to say anything. A part of Ninat wanted to press her further but she knew it would be pointless. Still she would have tried if not for the object nestled just behind her in the tree.

"Okay!" Ninat said brightly, "have fun!"

Piral continued on her way with a short nod. Ninat exhaled softly and reached behind her. Carefully she pulled the flat screen towards her. With a soft brush of her fingers it flickered to life, glowing blue like the forest around her would be shortly. Risking a glance around to make sure no-one was looking, Ninat slid her finger along the bottom of the screen like Dr. Max and No-orm had shown her. The first picture popped up, showing a world unlike any Ninat had seen. There were so many Sky People it made her head spin. The place they came from must have been very crowded. But it was beautiful too. There wasn't an Eywa to give them light anymore so the Sky People had made their own. It was the same kind of light that made the device she held work. Ninat had seen it in the Sky People's home here but it hurt her eyes. This was gentler, nicer.

Ninat slid her fingers over the screen, changing to the next picture. This one was of Dr. Max, Dr. Grace and another person she did not recognize standing there, grinning at the screen. Dr. Grace was dead but in that picture she was there. She was smiling. She looked happy. Ninat felt tears prick at her eyes. They did not have anything to remember their dead by. The voices that came through the All-mother were not individual. She could not hear her mother's voice any more than Iheyu could speak to Seze. But here, in her hands, she could see the dead. She could see Dr. Grace. Were there other dead in there? Other moments that had been frozen in time, preserved on the flat screen.

The next picture had been taken without the people's knowledge. They were not smiling at the camera like the others had been, though they were smiling. She recognized No-orm, though the picture only showed the back of his head with his slightly shorter hair. Still his hands were gesturing as No-orms did from time to time when he was trying to explain something. Sitting next to him was another Sky Person, one Ninat vaguely recognize. Her lips were curved into a small smile, not like Dr. Max's bright grin. Her skin was darker than any of the other Sky People's had been but her dark hair was long and tied over her shoulder like a _queue_ but looser. Was this woman the reason No-orm was so sad? There had been a lot of dead, so many returned to Eywa that Ninat supposed she could have survived without her knowing but Ninat had a feeling this woman was dead.

Tail curling in sadness, Ninat brushed a hand across the screen to change the picture. Instantly her eyes lit up as she looked at the happy picture. This one had No-orm standing outside the blue tank with his Avatar. His hair was shorter in the picture, his grin bigger than Dr. Max's and so very carefree. It must have been when he first got there. Inside the blue tank she could see his Avatar. There were lots of Sky People there, she could even see one sitting in a chair looking at another tank through the blue substance surrounding No-orm's Avatar. The Sky People were so pink but now No-orm was much paler. Dr. Max said it was because they spent so much time inside.

Ninat pressed her face closer to the screen as she looked at the strange markings on the bottom. They were not more pictures, they were too small to be such things. But what were they? A quick flick backwards showed her that there were the same kind of markings on each one. But what did those marks mean? Holding the screen close, Ninat looked back over her shoulder towards the _ikran_ nest. She knew Piral probably was there but even if she was she didn't want anything to do with the others. Piral thought that others seeing her emotions was bad. Nimbly, Ninat jumped off the branch and landed on the ground, dimming the light of the screen before she quickly made her way through the camp, trying not to show what she held to anyone. They would not understand what she was looking at.

Reaching her destination, Ninat quickly slipped into the shadows before someone could see and yell at her. She was trained to be _taronyu_ but she was not, not really. Not anymore. Even with both the current _Tsahik_ and the future one busy, her strong connection to Eywa had her on a different path. She could never be _Tsahik_ but she could still offer her people a connection to Eywa. Sometimes if they did not want to go to the _Tsahik_ they came to her. And sometimes, when they could not come to her, she came to them. As she did for him.

"_Oel ngati kameie,_" she said with a smile, her voice respectful.

"_Oel ngati kameie_," he replied, his voice full of respect for her own position.

"I heard you fighting," she said, "you should not be fighting. There is too much hurt here, too much pain. You cannot make it worse. Not now. Not you. You have to lead them, no matter what you feel."

"I know," he said after a moment of silence.

"I wish you could say what you feel. But you cannot," she said, "your strength now is for them, not for you."

He made a sound of confirmation as she walked over to him, the shells in her braids clinking together softly. Carefully she sat down next to him, tucking her legs neatly under her and holding the Sky People's device on her lap. he looked at her, his expression clearly saying that she should not be bringing Sky People's technology into the midst of the People but he would not scold her outright, not now. With a tap she brought the screen to life and held it out so he could see it.

"What are these markings?" she asked.

"Names," he said, "dates. They are so the people know what's in the picture," he looked for a moment, "the woman is named Trudy Chacon, the man is Norman Spellman."

"Oh," Ninat said, her brow knitting together, "they write the sounds?" she said, "do they not know how to sing?"

"They write," he said, "it is their way."

"It is a strange way," she said, her ears pulling back, "but that is not bad," she said quickly, her ears coming forward in an effort to reassure him, "not all that is strange is bad."

"Wise words," he said.

"But I do not feel like the others," she continued, "I have a right to my peace, they to their anger. It is on you to show them the anger is not the right path, _Atokrina_ _eyk tireafya'o," _she smiled, "but I tell you nothing you do not know. You should sleep more, you are going to have a lot to do."

"As should you. Everyone is pushing themselves too hard."

"Yes but they would push themselves harder if it would help the People."

"They still should not."

"Then you had better recover quickly, son of Ateyo, and remind us how we should work," she got to her feet, "or you could have Jake organize the _taronyu_. We must walk before we run and run before we fly."

Tsu'Tey looked at the young singer, knowing the truth of her words. Ninat smiled at him before turning and walking out of the shelter. For the first time he was not tired as he sat there, sleep did not reach out to him. He looked down at his toes, moving them back and forth gently. He felt his legs, the soreness hardly let him forget it. His fingers moved against Eywa's soil. There was much to do, too much for him to wait for his body to work again. Piral's words echoed in his head. Did the other _taronyu_ feel as she did? He had not lingered on the thought of what would happen after the battle, what the people would think of Neytiri's mate. But if Piral was becoming the voice of the _taronyu_'s doubts, then he had no time to waste.

Shifting his weight to the side, Tsu'Tey laid his hand against the tree, pushing his fingers against the wood. His head spun but he pushed himself up anyway, shoving the weakness and the nausea aside. He moved from that to balancing on his knees, then, finally his feet. His head spun as he pressed himself against the tree, forcing himself to remain upright. As long as his movement was slow, it seemed that he could at least stand without toppling over. Carefully he raised his head, moving his _queue_ aside as he leaned his head against the surface of the tree. His head spun and his body ached but he held himself upright, fingers pressing against the surface of the tree.

He would not think of what he had lost.

He would not question why Eywa had changed his path, why she had saved him at all.

He would see the People safe, even if their safety was not forever with him.

That was the duty of an _Olo'eyktan._

That was his duty.

* * *

**So Tsu'Tey's got some serious apologizing to do. As does Piral and Jake should probably do it as well. Next time we are going to have more Ninat with the Sky People as Norm gets to Dream Walk again. **

**Wow! You guys all rocked out in review last chapter! Please do it again! Really. Even the ones that aren't all perfect, lemme know! This is the first time I've really done anything with this scope of original characters (and Avatar) and I really do love the feedback. Once again faves and alerts have received a huge jump which makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside---but I really do love getting reviews! **

**So please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

Every step was harder than the last.

His legs ached terribly, his feet felt as if they had never walked on Eywa's soft soil. But his body remembered how to walk. His muscles knew what it was to lift one foot and place it down, to lift the other one up and repeat the was already stark on his brow, the effort of doing something once so simple enough to almost cripple him. Almost, but not quite. His breathing was harsh but he pushed himself forward. Eywa had healed his wounds, what remained was his own weakness. His own foolishness. There was no reason for him not to be able to walk and so he soldiered on. Past the pain, past the fatigue, past everything until he reached his destination.

The _ikran_ nest here was small but full of them. They slept like all _ikran_ did, their heads tucked under their wings as they slumbered. The few who were waking made soft sounds and looked at him but remained quiet. The ones that were injured were off to the side. Even in the darkness Tsu'Tey could pick out the familiar bright colors and white spots of Tanhi, the bandages around her wing stark in the darkness. His eyes swept over the enclosure, picking out the bright blues of Jake's ikran and the long, graceful lines of Ninat's. Finaly his eyes found the spirals and swoops that denoted Iheyu's familiar pattern. His _ikran_ was brightly colored and heavily patterned--and slept like a rock. Even with his staggering steps, Iheyu didn't stir until Tsu'Tey stood almost within arm's length. Only then did Iheyu's head come up, his gold eyes peering sleepily around before they found Tsu'Tey.

Iheyu screeched and jumped up, bolting over to Tsu'Tey as fast as he could go. The other _ikran_ voiced their loud objections to his clumsiness but Iheyu paid no mind. Landing in front of Tsu'Tey, Iheyu snorted and reached out, batting his nose against Tsu'Tey's hand. Tsu'Tey scratched the _ikran_'s nose as he vocalized, happy to see him awake. He wore no saddle and he ties on his _queue_ were gone but Tsu'Tey could see no injuries on him. He had lost weight as well but nothing that would prevent him from flying with two people. In the time he was gone, Iheyu must have only left to hunt before returning. Iheyu snorted and moved forward, his head craning as he performed his own inspection of what had happened to his _taronyu_. He came back to the front, nudging Tsu'Tey's hand once more and vocalizing softly, happily.

"Its is alright," Tsu'Tey said reassuring the _ikran_, "we are safe now. You did very well," Iheyu made a sound of confirmation, his chest puffing out in a obvious show of how pleased he was, "very well," Tsu'Tey repeated the praise, pressing his hand to the _ikran_'s side.

He felt the muscles of his _ikran_ expand and contract under his hand as his lungs expanded. The _ikran_ snorted and shook himself, shaking his head before he stood still, sensing Tsu'Tey needed something to hold onto. He had not realized he was cold until he felt his _ikran_'s warmth. Iheyu made a low sound as Tsu'Teyu leaned against the _ikran's_ wing joint. Iheyu craned his head to fix Tsu'Tey with one set of eyes. Tsu'Tey closed his eyes, laying a hand over the _ikran_'s eye ridge. Perhaps it had not been wise to push himself as hard as he had. Iheyu let out a softer, more worried sound as Tsu'Tey felt the spinning of the world slow before it stopped completely. Risking it, Tsu'Tey opened his eyes.

Neytiri stood just outside the enclosure.

It was strange, how all the emotions that he had barely kept in check came crashing into him at the sight of her. His entire life had been based around the promise of their union, of what it would mean when he made _tsahaylu_ with her. He did not think they had spoken since that day when he had tried to murder Jake for mating with her. They had exchanged words but it had always been about the Clan and always very brief. Tsu'Tey told himself that it was because he had nothing to say to her. But now as he looked at her he realized that that was not the case. He had a lot to say to her, all of it angry and all of it indulgent in his own sense of self-loathing. He wanted to blame someone, blame someone other than the man he was about to put his faith for the People in. He wanted to blame her. To blame the woman who had deviated from the path Eywa had set for her--a path that would have entwined their paths forever. Her eyes met his but Tsu'Tey looked away, unable to hold her gaze.

Pain flashed across Neytiri's eyes as she looked at Tsu'Tey, half leaning against Iheyu. He should not be standing, much less walking around. He knew better than that. And yet he had done it anyway. He had always been stubborn. It was what made him such an excellent _taronyu_. Failure only made him come back stronger, try harder to beat what had defeated him. It was that stubbornness that had caught the eye of her father who watched the small boy who did not always succeed always fight. She had been the same way, forever challenging anyone who said she could not do what she knew she could. They had shared that. That and so much else.

But it had not been enough.

She had betrayed Tsu'Tey, she knew that but if she had not betrayed him she would have betrayed her very heart. She wished that there had been another way, a way where she could follow her heart and follow the path she had been told Eywa had set for her. But Jake had changed everything. Neytiri was sure she did not know what it meant to want to make a bond with another, to mate with another, until she had met the former Dream Walker. the path she walked with him felt more right than anything. But it was not the path that she had thought and not the path the other _taronyu_ had spent their entire lives training to follow. Neytiri did not regret her actions, she was only sad for what they had cost the People. What it had cost the man who had spent his entire life being told that he would be her mate--and the leader of the Clan.

"_Oel ngati kameie_, Tsu'Tey te Rongloa Ateyltan," Neytiri said stepping forward, "you should not be up."

He turned to her, surprise on his features but whether it was surprise that she was there or surprise she had spoken to him, Neytiri was not certain. Either way it was not what she wanted to see. There was a time when he would have been able to predict her actions just as she would have been able to predict his. But that time was in the past. He turned his head away from her, his gaze going to Iheyu. Now he could barely even look at her. The _ikran_ Neytiri had always liked, hissed angrily at her. He was mad, he had a right to be mad, but that did not make the knowledge any easier to stomach. Tsu'Tey murmured something to the _ikran_, his hand firmly on Iheyu's neck. The _ikran_ moved his head away, though his gold eyes did not leave hers.

"_Oel ngati kameie_, Neytiri Dis'kahan Mo'at'ltey," he said finally, his tone like that of a _taronyu_ speaking to a _Tsahik_. Iheyu huffed out his chest in a show of dominance, "_Ftang, _Iheyu," Tsu'Tey ordered sternly. The _ikran_ fixed him with a look that plainly said he'd rather eat Neytiri than stop, "_ftang_," Tsu'Tey repeated, his voice as strong as he could make it.

Neytiri felt her ears pull at the hatred she saw shining bright in Iheyu's eyes. It was not in Tsu'Tey's gaze, nor would it be. Even in their darkest moments there was no fear in her parent's eyes. It might have been Tsu'Tey's deepest desire to kill her with his bare hands but none of that showed on his face. Those few moments when he had truly lost control with Jake, those were unique. He would never show that kind of lack of control to the People. Iheyu's anger was defensive, it was for what she had done to his _taronyu_, a _taronyu_ who was still too weak to make _tsahaylu_ with his _ikran_. Even with the anger, Iheyu shifted but made no move to lunge at her. He obeyed his _taronyu_'s commands, even without _tsahaylu. _That was unique to them, the result of hours Tsu'Tey had spent training with his _ikran_. A few other _taronyu_ and _ikran_ held the same level of training but Tsu'Tey had been the first.

What had she done?

Hours, days--a lifetime of training and now the man who stood in front of her was expected to just give his wisdom to Jake. Because she had made _tsahaylu_ with Jake. But what truly set guilt through her was that she had known. She knew long before she met Jake that she was not going to made _tsahaylu_ with Tsu'Tey. It was not that he did not have all the qualities to lead the people, he did and in abundance. It was really as simple as that she did not love him. She had made excuses for why she did not completely the process with him. She was not ready, she had things to do, now was not the time to begin a new life as a mated pair--all of them seemed hollow now. Now that the reality of choosing another crashed into her.

"Tsu'Tey--"

"We do not need to speak like this," Tsu'Tey cut her off, his gold eyes locking with hers. Neytiri felt her ears droop, "you are my _Tsahik_, I will do as you say."

Neytiri closed her eyes tightly, her throat tight. He would do what she said, he was a _taronyu_. But that was not how his life should have gone. Everything he was was gone because she had changed the world. She did not regret loving Jake and bonding with him, he was her mate--he was the other half of her heart. But she still wished that there had been another way to do it. One that had not taken everything from the only _taronyu_ her father had seen fit to consider for the position of his successor. It was her actions that had forever altered the fate of the Clan. She was the one who had been promised to another and the one who had broken that promise. Like Tsu'Tey she had spent her entire life preparing for what she would be when her parents transfered their power. Her mother had even reminded her of where her path lay. But Neytiri had not cared, not when she looked at Jake and knew that with him was where her heart lay.

"_Tsap'alute_!" Neytiri said, lowering herself in a show of submission. Tsu'Tey's eyes widened at her tearful apology, "_Tsap'alute_," she repeated, her tone heartfelt, "I did not want to hurt you, to take from you what I did. To take us all from the path we had been sure Eywa would have us walk," she closed her eyes, "_Tsap'alute_," she repeated.

"Only Eywa can change our path," Tsu'Tey said finally, though his tone told her he believed otherwise, "even if Jake Sully had not come to us," he said, his hand resting against Iheyu, "I would not have stayed _Olo'eyktan_."

"What?" Neytiri stared at him.

"You would not have made _tsahaylu_ with me," he said, his eyes meeting hers.

"You knew?" she questioned, her eyes narrowing, "but you--"

"No," Tsu'Tey cut her off, "I did not know. Not until you so readily made _tsahaylu_ with the _Faketuan,_ the _Tawtute_. Then I knew. Then I saw all you had told me, how you were not ready, how you did not think it was the right time--all of it was a lie."

"Then why didn't you say something?!" she demanded, "you did know and you said nothing! Why?"

Tsu'Tey ground his teeth together, his head turning away from her. Iheyu hissed at her, his head coming protectively between her and Tsu'Tey. Tsu'Tey did not push him away, not when he needed the _ikran_ to stand, not when he was trying to think of what to say to her. How was he to tell her why he had ignored the sinking feeling in his stomach that Neytiri would never make _tsahaylu_ with him, that everything he worked so hard for would never be his? How was he to say what he had kept so close to him? How was he to tell her now, the one thing he had not dared in all their lives together?

How was he to tell her loved her?

He had. Not just as the future _Tsahik_, not just because he had been told that they would bond and that that would make him _Olo'eyktan_. He had loved her as the fiery warrior who had attacked the biggest, strongest child she could find and beaten him soundly because the others had refused to fight her because she was the Princess. He had loved her because even when she was shouting and so angry she could barley see strait she was still the most graceful creature he had ever seen. Because when he had been named the next _Olo'eyktan_ she had not looked at him with disgust or anger, rather she had smiled and waved at him when her father's back was turned. Even after Sylwanin's death when she had begun to isolate herself, even after he watched her scream for Jake when his _ikran_ threw him over the edge during their initial bonding, he still had loved her. He did not know if the pain would be less if she had chosen a Na'vi and not a Dream Walker, he only knew it would still hurt that she had chosen someone else.

"It does not matter," he said finally, his ears pulling back, "I have much to teach Jake," he continued, "I must go."

Neytiri started forward but Iheyu hissed furiously at her, turning so that Tsu'Tey was between them. With a final pat, Tsu'Tey turned and headed for the camp. Neyitiri watched him go, knowing if she tried to help him she would be brushed off. Turing away from the _ikran_, Neytiri made her way to the other side of the nest, stepping onto the dirt. She looked over her shoulder to see Tsu'Tey moving towards the Tree, none of the usual grace in his movements. Closing her eyes she turned her head back to the nest. She did not even know why she had come. Seze was gone and looking at the other _ikran_ was painful to do. Maybe a part of her had known she would find Tsu'Tey there--though she wished that their brief exchange had gone better.

Neytiri turned away from the enclosure when a soft, inquisitive sound reached her ears. Turning her head she looked at the bright blue-green _ikran_ who came to her. Craning his neck down and then up, looked at her, his primary gold eyes bright. He let out another soft sound, reaching out and batting her hand with his nose in a familiar gesture of inquiry and affection. In spite of her sadness, Neytiri reached out and scratched the _ikran_'s nose.

"Shh, Tom-y," she said, the odd name sticky on her tongue.

Jake had named his _ikran_ after his brother, saying it was Tommy who had gotten him to Pandora in the first place. The _ikran_ did not seem to mind such a strange name, or maybe because his _tsahaylu _was with Jake it did not seem strange to him. Neytiri knew he was mad at Jake though. Jake had explained what he had done to become _Toruk Makto._ Apparently this Tommy made a very similar angry sound to the Tommy Jake had lost back home. But Tommy still flew with Jake, even if he was angry at him. Even though she had not ridden on him, because of her bond with Jake Tommy recognized her. What _taronyu_ felt, _ikran_ felt as well and the _ikran_'s affection was a sharp reminder of all that she had gained in following her heart to be with Jake.

"You should not be up," Neytiri said softly, "you have been flying all day," he made the same soft sound and batted her hand affectionately, "I am fine, Tom-y," she said scratching his nose, "I will go be with Jake now," she said, "you go rest."

Tommy vocalized softly before moving backwards just a bit, ruffling his wings and shaking himself before finding a new spot and settling down. Neytiri smiled at the _ikran_, turning around and heading back towards where the other People were. Neytiri had been sneaking in and out of the place where her People lived for a very long time. It was easy to sneak back in, picking her way among those who lay asleep near their connection to the All-mother. Near the base of the tree was where Jake lay, still asleep. Carefully Neytiri lowered herself next to him, closing her eyes as she pressed herself against him. His skin was so warm against hers, the pulse of life in his chest so strong and steady against her spine. For a moment Neytiri wondered why the few _taronyu_ could not see what she did when she looked at him. Not see the unmovable will, the strength that lived in every facet of his being. He stirred slightly against her, one of his arms coming up to wrap around her waist and pull her even closer to him. Neytiri smiled softly and pressed herself against him, letting the worry slip from her mind if only for a moment.

"Hey," he said sleepily, his nose nuzzling the back of her neck, "where'd you go?"

"Nowhere important," she said softly, her fingers entwining his, "go back to sleep. Tsu'Tey has much to teach you in the morning."

Still not fully awake, he made a sound of understanding and pulled her tighter against him. Neytiri turned in his embrace, twisting so her body was pressed frontal against his. Closing her eyes she buried her face in his chest, swallowing back the tears that threatened her eyes. She did not want to cry, not now. Not when in a few short hours they would be awake. She did not realize Jake was awake until the hand that was not pressed to her back slid under her head. She raised her eyes, looking at his. Even in the faint light of the night his gold eyes burned brightly. The emotion she saw in them made her throat close tighter. With a soft sound, Neytiri buried her face in his chest. She felt his arms pull her tighter, holding her against him as she sobbed softly into his chest.

He didn't say anything, he just held her tightly as she cried.

* * *

This was the strangest of the Sky People's rooms.

Ninat stepped into the odd room, one that she could get to without an air lock or wearing one of their masks. This room was brighter too, with green tiles and a floor that was not so cold on her feet. The bandages and supplies she had been bringing were neatly laid out but her eyes were focused on the body laying there. No-orm's Avatar looked very much like him. He was even a bit tall for a Na'vi, like No-orm was for a Sky Person. At the moment the Avatar lay on the bed, his eyes shut as his fingers and toes moved like a child feeling the world for the first time. Curiosity getting the better of her, Ninat reached out and touched the Avatar's arm. It moved in response, the body moving away from the touch. Ninat gasped, her ears pressing back as her heart leapt in her chest.

"Its okay, he can't feel anything!" Ninat gasped and turned to see No-orm standing there, his hand on the button that let him talk to her. Looking at the Avatar one more time she carefully approached the glass pane. No-orm pointed to the side. Ninat's eyes found the black button, "press the button," he said.

"Like this?" Ninat asked poking the thing. No-orm shook his head.

"Hold it down when you talk," he said, "so I can hear you."

"LIke this?" Ninat tried again, holding the button down. No-orm nodded, "you said he could not feel!" she said angrily.

"He can't," No-orm said, "the body is responding to stimuli. He won't feel anything until I'm in there."

Ninat eyed him skeptically and Norm found he was hard pressed not to smile at the confusion in her gold eyes. She clearly did not believe the Avatar couldn't feel anything. Briefly he wondered if he should try and tell her that there wasn't anything in there but the hardware the body needed but quickly decided against it. At least, not until he was in the body and could explain it to her properly. They were lucky the Na'vi had agreed to be there when he tried to link again. The gunshot wounds he'd sustained in the Avatar were serious, serious enough that entering the body would probably be painful to do. In spite of the bravery he'd recently discovered in himself, Norm knew it'd be better if there was someone there when he linked for the first time.

"Why are you not linked then?" she questioned.

"I wanted to talk to you before you got there and explain what's going to happen," Norm said, "I'm going to go in the link chamber, like I showed you. When I go into the Avatar body, I need you to hold it down."

"Hold you down?" her eyes narrowed, "why do I need to hold you down?"

"Because of my injuries," he said, "see the scars on the Avatar? I might jerk or something. I just need you to keep me still so I don't break anything. We don't have straps--" horror crossed her face, "I'm not that strong. You can hold me down."

"You are not _taronyu_ and you are tall, not big," she said drawing herself up, "and I have held larger down before."

Norm swallowed at that and the implications of the sweet, curious Na'vi holding someone down. Sometimes it was easy to forget that she was _taronyu_ as well.

"Right, so I'm going to go link now," he said, "I'll see you in a minute."

"I will hold you down," Ninat said pulling back from the button.

Walking over to the Avatar version of No-orm, Ninat frowned, unsure of how it would be best to hold him down. Carefully she approached him, her eyes moving doubtfully across the movements of the body. Reaching out, she touched the hard, scarred skin of his shoulder and chest. The body moved like No-orm had said it would. Only this time instead of turning away from her, the head turned towards her, as though blindly seeking comfort. Ninat felt her chest tighten at the innocent, sleeping face. Was this what No-orm looked like when he slept? Ninat leaned closer, her other hand coming to rest on his opposite shoulder. He was actually rather handsome. A bit skinny but if he underwent the training to be _taronyu_ he could be considered a very handsome Na'vi, like Jake Sully had been before Neytiri chose him--like they had all considered Tsu'Tey to be.

Suddenly No-rom's eyes snapped open.

Ninat gasped, her hands pressing tightly against his shoulders as his lips parted in a ragged gasp, his body twisting wildly. Ninat looked over her shoulder at the sensitive equipment his body was in danger of knocking over. Without another thought she jumped on top of him, pressing her knees to his thighs as she held his twisting body down. Adrenaline had made him strong but knowledge made Ninat stronger. The shoulder with the scars was less strong. Ninat moved her hand from it, pressing her forearm across his chest as she reached into her braids and pulled out the thorn threaded in its case. Grabbing it in her hand she quickly flattened her other hand on his chest as a marker and plunged the thorn in between her two longest fingers, at a point in his chest that stopped his movements. Gasping, No-orm sagged on the bed, unable to struggle.

"No-orm!" she cried leaning forward, "are you alright?"

"What did you do?" he demanded, voice hoarse from disuse.

"It is a point," she said touching his chest, "it makes you stop," she sat back anxiously before jumping off him and running over to where her bandages were. Reaching out she grabbed one of the small earthenware jars and a roll of bandages, "you will not be able to move for a little while but that is for the best," she hurried back over to him.

"The damage," Norm gasped out, his head spinning, "its too great--"

"It is not!" Ninat objected, her english become jerky with anger, "you are hurt. You will heal," she slid her hand under his shoulders and propped him up on her own, "this will help," she said spreading the stuff against his shoulder, both the front and back before beginning to bandage him, "you act as you have never been hurt before."

"I'm a scientist," he said, "aside from schoolyard fights--" she looked at him, "I haven't been hurt, not like this."

"Then you will learn," Ninat said, "good and bad go together. Pain is a part of life," she tied off the bandages and eased him down, "your Sky People make strange weapons," she said.

Norm nodded. Whatever pressure point she had struck his entire body felt more like a wet noodle than the pit of agony he'd woken up to. The scientific part of his mind catalogued the dull throb of fire that spanned his arm and chest, the atrophy of his muscles from being suspended for so long, the disorientation that came with linking--especially to an Avatar that was not in optimal condition. The rest of him just thought this hurt and he'd rather be in a lab somewhere. Ninat wiped the stuff from her hands and walked back over to him. Whatever she'd put on is chest had some kind of numbing properties. Norm knew his shoulder and chest should hurt a hell of a lot more than they did at the moment. Ninat walked back over to him, her tail curled around her leg so she did not break anything accidentally.

"No-orm--" she began before stopping herself, "I do not pronounce your name right, do I?"

"No," he said, "its just Norm."

"Norm," she said, trying to mimic the way he said it, "do you have two names like Jake Sully and Dr. Max?" she asked.

"Yeah," Norm said, trying to focus on what she was saying instead of the pain and disorientation, "I'm Norm Spellman. And Dr. Max is actually Max Patel."

"No no," Ninat said shaking her head, "he is Dr. Max."

"Doctor is a title," he said, "like _Olo'eyktan_ or _Tsahik_. Max's last name is Patel, like how Dr. Augustine's name was Grace Augustine."

Ninat's eyes lit up suddenly and she moved across the room, running back with the comp. they'd lent her. She'd been so enamored with the tech that Max had given her one, loading it with just pictures he'd found around there. It was a simple thing but when they had shown her how to use it her face had lit up as if it was the most incredible thing she had ever seen. She quickly turned the comp. towards him, showing a picture of a few of the Doctors, including Dr. Grace. Her finger tapped against the caption.

"I want to learn this," she said touching the words, "the People do not have this," she said tapping the words excitedly, "do you not have songs?"

"We have songs," Norm said, "but our information, our history, that's all through the written word," he looked at the screen, "Dr. Augustine said she'd started to teach you the alphabet before--" he stopped at the confusion in her eyes, "alphabet," he said, "its the marks that make up the words."

"Oh," she said turning back to the picture and bringing up a new one that showed him with his Avatar, grinning at the camera. Her fingers pressed to the white words, "this is your name, correct? And the da--" she stopped, frowning in thought, "and the date."

"Yeah," he said, "how did you know that's a date?"

Ninat blushed, her eyes moving away as she hugged the comp. to her chest. She was the very picture of someone who had a secret. A guilty one. Norm tried to move himself upwards but found that she was right about the pressure point. He couldn't move anything.

"Did Jake tell you that?" he tried. Ninat blushed and mumbled something, her fingers toying with the edge before she shook her head, "Ninat who in the People can read?"

"I cannot tell you," she said, "it is supposed to be a secret."

Instantly Norm thought that the mysterious, literate member of the Tribe had to be a male. Only a man would care enough to hide the fact he was able to read from the rest of the Tribe. It was probably a _taronyu_, one who wanted to distance himself from the People as much as possible. But if he learned to read he didn't learn it from Dr. Augustine's school. She had only just been teaching them the alphabet when that place had been bulldozed. He knew a few of the older Na'vi had learned english from the first interactions with them, back when they had been learning the Na'vi language as well. That meant he was old enough to have some kind of status in the Clan. Norm let the mystery turn over in his head as he tried to think about it rather than the physical pain.

"Alright, its a secret," he said.

"Well I want to learn," she said stubbornly, "you will teach me?"

"Alright I'll teach you," he said. Ninat excitedly held up the device, turning the picture to a new one, her finger pointing at the first of the letters, "that's an A, its also the first letter in the alphabet," Norm began.

* * *

**Okay so we had a bit more norm and ninat and neytiri finally comes in! i wanted to explore the guilt neytiri might feel, not that she regrets what happened with Jake just that she feels regretful about what happened to the People, especially with Tsu'Tey. Next time Piral's going to come back into play and we find out if Jake and Tsu'Tey can make it through a lesson without trying to kill each other. **

**So i was kinda sad that once again there's been a huge jump in alerts and faves but not a huge one in reviews. Feedback people! I want your feedback. If you don't want to review you could do it anonymously, PM me or just, you know, review. **

**Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay so Piral's back this chapter and we begin the healing process! Don't worry we're not gonna get right to rainbows and kittens but I do want to begin a more positive part. **

**Onwards!**

* * *

It was midday before Piral set foot where the people were gathered at the base of the Tree.

She ignored the looks she received as she walked through the groups going about their daily task. Baskets were starting to appear and Piral knew soon grains would be dried and collected for storage. They had been living with the bare minimum for a long time now, their stores had been completely reduced and even with their fewer numbers, too many were wounded to collect the amount that would be needed to create stores. But now it seemed like that would change. She did not know which was worse, the idea that they were accumulating stores of things that they had no place to put them or the idea that soon there would be no excuse to go out hunting and she would be stuck there. This was the _Vitraya Ramunog_, a place for the People to connect with Eywa. It was not their _Kelutral_--or any _Kelutral_. It was not a place to live. What would happen when the rains came? Or the wind storms? They had no protection here. The People had to know, they were going to begin to wonder when the search for a new _Kelutral_ would begin. It would have to be soon--very soon.

"Piral, Piral!" Piral turned sharply as A'win came running up to her, "_Oel ngati kameie_," she greeted quickly before her tone became sharper, "where have you been?"

"_Oel ngati kameie_," Piral quickly replied out of respect for the fellow _taronyu_, "that is not important."

"_Kawkrr ronsem,_" A'win said shaking her head, "jakesully has begun his training. We have heard no shouts but he has been with our _Olo'eyktan_ all morning," she touched Piral's arm, her voice lowering,"the _taronyu_ are unsettled. They do not understand why jakesully is able to see Tsu'Tey before they can."

"It is Tsu'Tey's decision when the _taronyu_ will see him," Piral said, "and no-one else's, not even jakesully."

"Of course," A'win said, "and Ninat has not been seen last night."

"What?" Piral demanded, her senses instantly on alert, "what do you mean Ninat has not been seen since last night?"

A'win glanced on either side before she grabbed Piral's arm and pulled her away. Clearly she did not want to be overheard. Piral held her tongue and let the other _Taronyu_ take her into the forest. She pulled her completely out of the Tree and almost halfway to the _ikran_'s nest. Piral tensed at the feeling of her hand on her arm but did not draw back, A'win was surprisingly strong and fast. She easily pulled Piral the entire distance before she could even move away. The moment they got there A'win stepped back, her hands lowering to her sides as she turned her head around to look around once more before looking at Piral.

"The other Dream Walker, the one who studied plants, he was planning to Walk again. They asked Ninat to help," A'win bit her lip momentarily, her tail lashing back and forth as her ears twitched almost guiltily, "there is more--"

"A'win, _nitam,_" she said sharply, "_ftang._ Just tell me what it is."

"Ninat went to see Tsu'tey last night," A'win said, "word has traveled between the _taronyu_--"

Piral felt her ears press back against her skull angrily. She did not know why Ninat had gone to see Tsu'Tey, but from her close association and barely hidden interest in the Sky People, Piral had a sinking feeling it had nothing to do with Ninat's position as one of those with a strong connection to Eywa. She had a feeling it had much more to do with Tsu'Tey's knowledge of the Sky People. Between his standing anger at the Sky People and the conflict between the _taronyu_, the last thing any of them needed was for Ninat to let her curiosity get the best of her, as it had done so many times in the past. From the anxiousness in A'win's eyes, the discord was worse than she thought. Piral looked down at her feet. She knew she should help with the discord but her own anger, it was so great. How was she supposed to help the other _taronyu _understand what she herself could not accept? A'win's eyes locked with hers, the gold searching Piral's face as if she could see the answers there.

"Ninat went there because of her connection with Eywa," Piral said, "the other _taronyu_ should know that Ninat's connection to Eywa has her do things that the we do not always understand," A'win nodded her understanding, "have the others began to ask about where she is now?"

"_Kehe_, and if she returns soon, they may not. But with the _Tsahik_ and Neytiri in training, they will look to those like Kame and Ninat for guidance."

"And they will be in good hands," Piral said. A'win nodded again, "we can do nothing until jakesully comes from the training."

"You must speak to Tsu'Tey," A'win said to her, her voice low and urgent, "even those who accept the Law and trust jakesully will not go against a direct order from Tsu'Tey or--"

"That is enough," Piral cut her off, "we must stop the divisions before they get worse. We have lost too much, we cannot loose more. Not now. Not because the _Taronyu_ were divided."

"You do not hide your emotions that well, Piral," A'win said with a shake of her head that had her beads rattling, "we know your unhappiness, that you do not like jakesully--"

"_Ftang_!" Piral snapped cutting her off, "I will not be reprimanded for expressing what we all feel--not by you, A'win. Go to the others, try to keep them from arguing amongst themselves and if anyone should ask tell them Ninat is out gathering grain."

A'win looked at her but A'win was not a _Tashik_, she was an _Taronyu_. She did not command the same respect Piral was obligated to show to Neytiri and Mo'at. Anger showed in both of their expressions though A'win showed it in the tilt of her chin and the press of her ears while Piral revealed her anger in the whip of her tail and the glare in her eyes. Tempers were high for all of them but they were especially high between the _Taronyu_, all of whom had been taught to express their anger through violent means. Even the war they had just come through was not enough to stop instinct to fight each other. Now as the two of them blared angrily at each other, both thought of the knives that were held on stout leather belts across their chests. Both had lost their bows, the knives weren't even really theirs. Like all the Na'vi, they carried their dead with them even now.

"Very well," A'win said, tension moving from her body though her tone did not change, "but if she is not back soon people will ask questions and I will not be the one to tell them lies."

Piral said nothing as the other _Taronyu_ turned and left. Anger pulsing through her, Piral took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Tsu'Tey's words echoed in her head. She was angry but it was no longer just at the Sky People. She was angry at the rest of the Clan. At Ninat for being so irresponsible and letting her curiosity get the better of her. At A'win and Kame and Istep who did nothing wrong. Nothing except accept the change that was happening. Piral knew the anger she felt was misplaced but it was there none the less, throbbing through her like a wound. She felt like a pot of stew over the fire, one that was not bubbling yet but that soon would be. And what then? When she did finally boil over, when the anger and the hurt got to be too much, what was she going to do? She could barely hold her tongue around the _Tsahik _now, what if she began to break the laws of the People? She had responsibilities, she had duties--she could not be acting as she was.

A whoop of joy jerked her out of her thoughts.

Casting her gaze skyward, Piral watched as the _Taronyu_ and _ikran_ spiraled seamlessly through the air. The cry was musical, echoed by the _ikran_ and Piral knew instantly who it was. Wincing she thought of A'win and the lie she had just directed her to say. SHe could only hope the other _Taronyu_ had not told the People what she had ordered. Quickly Piral took off for the place the _Taronyu_ had begun to land their _ikran_. It was a flat strip of ground that made even the harder of landings easier, though the _ikran_ still wished that they had trees. Keeping an ear on Ninat and Tirol's loop through the air, Piral increased her speed and arrived right before the _ikran_ tucked her wings and dove down in a move notorious among the _Taronyu_. Perhaps it was because of her size or maybe it was something else but earth bound landings had never given Tirol the same kind of trouble it gave the other _Ikran_. Piral could only think of Tanhi's displeasure when she began to fly again.

Tirol landed easily as Ninat jumped off the _ikran_'s back. Exhilaration showed on every facet of Ninat's face. The white shells that decorated her braids clinked together as she moved without a thought to stealth or silence--despite the fact she had been gone since the night before. She rubbed the spot between Tirol's eye and _queue_ as her _ikran_ settled down, clearly proud of the landing she'd executed. Piral strode forward and Tirol, sensing her anger, quickly turned and fixed Piral with her gaze. At her _ikran's_ behavior Ninat stiffened as well, quickly turning around as Piral reached the two of them. Ninat easily disconnected her_queue _from that of her_ ikran_ and turned to face the _Taronyu_.

"Have you lost your mind?" Piral demanded, "you have been gone since last night!"

"Others have gone out on much longer hunting trips--"

"Others do not go to the Sky People's Home," Piral hissed furiously, her ears laid flat, "and you are lucky the others have not found out. Someone saw you go in to speak to Tsu'Tey. And then you disappear for a day to visit the Sky People. This is not the work of Eywa--"

Ninat watched the naked anger on Piral's face. She knew Piral had a right to her anger, anger was more than justified now. Everything they saw was a reminder of what they no longer hand, of what had been taken from them by the Sky People. And for one like Piral who had lost so much, Ninat knew that the anger was the easiest emotion to go for. It was such for all the _Taronyu_. If you were hurt, you got angry and you got better. If you were sad, you got angry and you fought to destroy what made you sad. Any situation could be turned into anger. The _Taronyu_ knew the danger of emotion, even the more useful ones like anger. Anger was what they reached for, it was how the dealt with their other emotions. And if Ninat knew anything, it was that anger she was showing was how Piral was reacting to feeling something completely different.

"Maybe it is," Ninat said finally, "just because we haven't heard of everything in the universe does not mean that Eywa is not a part of it," she gave Tirol a final pat before sending her off to the rest of the _ikran_, "perhaps it is Eywa's will that the Sky People are here," she fixed Piral with the most infuriating of smiles, "it is not for us to know Eywa's will, Piral."

"I do not pretend to know Eywa's will!" Piral objected loudly.

"Then why are you so angry?" Ninat asked.

"I am not angry!"

"Yes you are," Ninat said, "but your angry because of you feel something else and until you figure out what that is you are just going to stay angry and be nothing but trouble. Now I have an alphabet to go and practice because Norm says my hand writing is ill-eg-ible."

"Your what is what?" Piral asked as Ninat walked off but her friend offered no response, "Sky People," she muttered looking up at the sky.

She could not know Eywa's will, she had accepted that as all the People had. But no matter what Eywa had asked of them before, it paled in comparison to what had happened, to what she now asked of them. Had she known what fate would befall her People? What would be asked of them even after everything they had known and treasured was left to turn to dust in the ground? If Ninat was right and Eywa did have a hand in everything, even the things they could not understand or know, then did she have a hand in the Sky People coming? And if she had known, if she had understood what would happen to them, why had she not stopped them? Why had she only fought alongside them after so much had been lost? Piral had always _always_ had faith in Eywa but now she felt that faith shake. Why would the All-mother ask of them what she had? Piral knew she could have stayed there all day thinking of the questions in her head.

Then she remembered what she had told A'win to tell the others.

"_Skxawng_!" Piral swore at herself.

Turning around, she hurried back towards the encampment. She had to get back there and stop A'win before she wound up telling everyone a lie. The last thing they needed was for the _Taronyu_ to become even more suspicious of their senior members. Breaking into a run, Piral bolted back towards the camp, desperate to get back to the rest of the Omaticaya . Out of the corner of her eye she saw a flash of blue. Out of pure instinct her feet dug in and stopped her run even though the moment she did she wished that she had not.

Standing in the woods were none other than Tsu'Tey and jakesully.

Instantly Pirla's hand was on her knife, her eyes going to the weapon. It was no bow but a knife thrown properly would eliminate anyone. It would eliminate the former Dream Walker. And without jakesully, the Clan would once again follow Tsu'Tey There would be no more questioning, no more chaos, no more fear. It would be as they had planned their entire lives to be. How many hours had they trained? How many tears had they shed and how much blood had they spilt, all for a man who Eywa never intended them to follow. But if she did this, if she took away the Dream Walker then it all went to how they had planned it to be. Tsu'Tey would be _Olo'eyktan_ for his entire life and lead the Clan to prosperity. Perhaps Neytiri would even take up the mantle of _Tsahik_, or perhaps her grief would be too great and she too would fade. But the Clan would be with their leader, their rightful leader and even as Piral knew her action would mean her death, would that really be such a bad thing if it meant the Clan could live on? Live as they had always been meant to live?

And then, hand on her knife, Piral looked at the two of them.

The light was even less forgiving to Tsu'Tey now that it was not dappled with shadows. His frame was not lean with muscle but almost downright thin with his lack of movement. The bandages that wound around his frame looked as though they had been changed, but Piral knew it was not by her own hand. His own injuries and emaciation was highlighted by the presence of the man next to him. Jakesully looked as most of the _Taronyu_ did, his body all lean muscle and decorated with the ornaments of his rank in the clan. But there was something, something that Piral could not place. It did not have to do with his fingers or toes or any of the things that marked him different from them. This was something else. Something that meant that even if he was surrounded by the other _Taronyu_, eyes would go to him, ears would be turned towards his words, even the other Clans would listen, perhaps they would even follow his words.

Piral stared at them and felt as though she was seeing not one time but two. She felt as if she was seeing the path they had thought they would walk and the path they now found they must. Past and future, united in the present as they only could be. All the anger, all the hatred--all that she felt, it was there still but what she saw in front of her, for the first time, was not a reminder of all that had been lost but, perhaps for the first time since the destruction of the Hometree, she saw a glimpse of what had been gained. It was not much, not enough to make up for all that had been lost. It was as if they had traded their _Kelutrel_ for the smallest and youngest of _utrals_. But it was from an _ultral_ that a _Kelutrel_ came into being. Even now as she watched Tsu'Tey speak and jakesully listen, she saw the passing of knowledge from one to the other. There was no struggle, Tsu'Tey did not look at him with betrayal and jakesully did not look like a petulant child, at least not as much as she was used to seeing him look.

Piral's hand fell silently from her knife to come and rest at her side.

She felt floored by what she saw. It was so simple to look at, something that should not have effected her and yet she found herself floored by such a simple sight. It was like the first time she had ridden on Tanhi. It was not a rush, not the pure adrenaline she had been expecting with her heart beating out of her chest and her eyes stinging with sweat. No what she felt was lucidity and peace, as if everything that she had been unable to see was suddenly laid bare to her eyes. All the anger, all the hatred, all the mourning and sadness--all the things that clouded her eyes were gone. She was above them, like she was flying even though her feet were on the ground. For the first time since the conflict had begun Piral felt as though she was not seeing a glaring reminder of the past and what had been lost but of good things that they should remember. Things that would lead them to the future.

She did not know how long she must have stood there staring but eventually Tsu'Tey's eyes went to her. Piral quickly tore her gaze away, feeling her cheeks burn with the embarrassment of being caught staring so openly at the two of them. Running away wasn't an option, not for her and not after all the rumors that were bound to spring up. Instead she moved quickly forward until she stood right in front of them.

"_Oel ngati kameie, _Piral," Tsu'Tey greeted, his voice holding a note of wariness in it Wariness on how she would treat jakesully no doubt.

"_Oel ngati kameie, Olo'Eyktan_," Piral replied, lowering her head in greeting. She turned towards jakesully, "_Oel ngati kameie, Toruk Makto_."

The surprise on both of their faces in response to her greeting of jakesully was both shameful and exhilarating. Fighting the smile that tugged on her lips she turned towards Tsu'Tey.

"The _Taronyu_ are asking when they may see you. Word that you spoke to Ninat last night has traveled quickly and the others now ask why they cannot lay eyes on you as well," she held his gaze with her own, "when should I tell them they may see you?"

"_Txon_," Tsu'Tey said, "I will speak to them tonight."

"Very well," Piral said, "I will tell them. _Eywa ngahu_, _Olo'Eyktan,_" she bid him farewell before turning to jakesully, "_Eywa ngahu, Toruk Makto_," she finished, turning around to leave.

"_Eywa ngahu,_"jakesully said quickly, before she could get out of earshot, "_Taronyu_."

Piral acknowledged his farewell before hurrying off towards the camp.

Tonight promised to be very interesting.

* * *

**Next time the chapter's going to be almost completely from Tsu'Tey's point of view. **

**Please PLEASE review! The jump in faves and alerts is making me happy but your feedback would make me even happier. **

**So review!**


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